The Lizzie McGuire Movie
by PersonY2K
Summary: *FINISHED!* You better read! (This is what I think the Lizzie McGuire Movie's going to be like. I'm using lines from the trailer, lines from shows... l/g pairings) *FINISHED!*
1. Graduation

-The Lizzie McGuire Movie-  
  
A/N: Hey, this is my first fanfic, and I'm not a really good writer, so get a grip and just read the story. This is my version of the Lizzie McGuire Movie since it hasn't come out yet. Maybe, by the time I'm done, it will be out. I'm only eleven so excuse the dumb lines and phrases. And the messed up format. Ciao. ~PersonY2K  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
It was the most important day of my life-  
  
And I didn't know what to wear! I knew it was graduation, so I'd be wearing this blue 'graduation suit' but what's under that counted, too. But I couldn't figure it out! Gray top, khaki top, buttoned top, I'd tried it all.  
  
Grrr.  
  
I started to walk out of my room to get the hairbrush that was in the bathroom, and tripped over my own shoe. I stumbled to the ground.  
  
"Augh! Why does this keep happening to me?" I said.  
  
I stood up, not wanting to go to my eighth grade graduation ceremony at all. I grunted and headed toward the bathroom.  
  
"Honey!" I heard my mom shout. "Get down here; it's almost time to go!"  
  
"Coming, Mom!" I said as I quickly brush my hair.  
  
Oh great, it was static. I smooth it down with hairspray and zip on my suit.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh no! I forgot to change! Oh well, no one's going to notice.  
  
"Yes they will." I sighed and ran into my room, flipping through my outfit choices. No, no, no-  
  
"Elizabeth Brooke McGuire! We're late!" Mom shouted.  
  
I gave up and trudged my way down the stairs, hoping no one would notice that I had on what I had worn yesterday under my graduation gown.  
  
"Let's go!" Matt shouted.  
  
"Wait, I have to." I noticed what Matt had in his hand. "Are you taping me? Augh!" I said as I put my hand in his video camera. I wished that he had never gotten that for his eleventh birthday. He had taped every embarrassing moment I ever had in the last four weeks.  
  
"No one appreciates the art of the camera these days." He sighed dramatically.  
  
I pulled him by his shirt into the car.  
  
Dad drove off, and I completely forgot about what was under my suit. Until...  
  
"Lizzie McGuire, you are an outfit repeater!" Kate said. She unzipped my suit and walked away, grinning.  
  
I was in line, waiting to make my speech, and Kate Saunders had just embarrassed me on stage! I felt like crying.  
  
"I can't believe her! Doesn't she have anything else to do except my life completely miserable?" I said to Gordo.  
  
Instead of comforting me like best friends should do, Gordo asked, "Why are you wearing the same thing you did yesterday?"  
  
I gritted my teeth. So far, the most important day of my life was not going well. "I fell asleep with it on, and when I woke up, I had to get ready for the ceremony, and-"  
  
"-Lizzie McGuire!" I heard.  
  
"Huh?" I asked.  
  
Gordo nudged me. "It's you turn to give your speech."  
  
NO WAY! Already? I wasn't ready yet.  
  
"Go!"  
  
I took a deep breath and started walking towards the podium. On my way there, I tripped.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh no, not here. Anywhere but here.  
  
I crashed into the curtain and it started to rip. I watched in awe.  
  
The audience gasped all at once, and the faint sound o laughing could be heard from none other than Matt, who just had to be taping it.  
  
I crashed into some balloons and watch the entire eighth/ninth graders get covered by the curtain. I closed my eyes and hoped this was not happening. Why oh why did I have to trip now? Why?  
  
Animated Lizzie: I'm praying as hard as I can that this is not happening. it's not working!  
  
That was the worst day of my life. 


	2. Making Money

"So, if you want to sign up for a trip of a lifetime, go to the hallway outside the auditorium..."  
  
I wasn't listening to Principal Tweedy. I was dreaming about Rome.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Rome, Rome, Rome! I'm going to Rome!  
  
"So do you want to go?" Mom asked me.  
  
"Do I want to go? Is that even a question? Of course I want to go!" I exclaimed.  
  
Okay, let me back up here. See, after I ruined the graduation ceremony, Principal Tweedy announced that the school would be taking twenty kids from our grade to Rome for two months! We had to bring in $100 to go. This was a trip of a lifetime, the place I'd been dreaming about for, like, ever!  
  
"I guess I'll take that as a yes then."  
  
"So, Gordo, are you coming with me?" I asked.  
  
"Why wouldn't I? Rome sounds cool." He replied.  
  
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go sign up before all the spots are taken!" We zipped out of the room, to see that the first (and only) person on the list was Ethan Craft!  
  
"Ahhhhh! Now I have to go!" I squealed.  
  
"Now I don't want to." Gordo mumbled, but I didn't hear that.  
  
Kate came up behind both of us and pushed us out of the way. "Excuse me, but MOVE! I need to sign up. Rome is the place where Eiffel Tower is, the city of romance..."  
  
Gordo snorted. "Um, I think you're talking about Paris."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
I narrowed my eyes. "Great. Now I don't want to go."  
  
"Are you serious?" Gordo exclaimed. "Just because of Kate Saunders?"  
  
"No, I'm not serious." I said as I added my name under Kate's. I wrote down all the information they needed, and then pulled my parents over for them to write their signature. Gordo did the same.  
  
"I just wish Miranda was here-or there, Rome with us." Gordo said.  
  
"Me too, but she really loves Mexico."  
  
He sighed. "I know." Then his face lit up. "I guess it's just the two of us then."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Is that good or bad?  
  
"You know, that's exactly what I said to Miranda when you got mad at us for spying on you and Brooke." I said.  
  
"Brooke? Oh, yeah. That was two years ago, wasn't it?"  
  
"I don't know. Middle school kind of seems like a big blur to me now." I said absentmindedly. "Whatever. I can't wait to start packing!"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Good bye home, hello Rome!  
Right.  
  
I was in such a good mood until my parents told me that I had to earn the 100 dollars! The trip was in a week! How could I earn so much in such little time? Gordo had to earn his own money too, so we decided to work together. But that meant we had to get 200 dollars in a week!  
  
Can you say impossible?  
  
Well, at least I had twenty dollars saved up, and Gordo had forty. That meant only 140 dollars.  
  
"Ideas, ideas." I murmured.  
  
I was in my room, lying on the floor, on my stomach, with Gordo, as we discussed ideas on how to make money. I was thinking as hard as I could, and nothing was coming up.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Come on, words out of my head, out. out! Ooh, Scranton! Is that the only word that's ever in my head?  
  
"A car wash!" He exclaimed.  
  
I crumpled my nose in disgust. "Too dirty, and not enough money that we can squeeze out of it."  
  
"Okay then-selling cookies! Bake sale or something! Garage sale!"  
  
"Ooookay, Gordo, calm down. But, hey, that's a good idea! I got tons of junk lying around!" I smiled.  
  
"Ooh, never mind. Remember when Matt and Lanny tried to sell their stuff?" He bit his lip.  
  
"Who?" I joked. "Yeah I guess you're right. but hey! We can at least try it."  
  
So I spent the next hour gathering all the things I didn't want anymore. Unfortunately, there wasn't much. I put high prices on the things that I had and headed to the kitchen. Baking was not my passion.  
  
I sighed and got to work.  
  
"Vanilla, vanilla-where's the vanilla!" I searched the cupboard.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Great. Just when you think you have all the ingredients, the vanilla's missing.  
  
"Oh well. I don't need vanilla."  
  
"Yes you do." I heard a voice from behind me.  
  
Oh great. "Matt! Go away!" I said.  
  
He glanced at the ingredients on the counter and rolled his eyes. "Amateur." He sighed.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Why is that according to Matt, I'm an amateur at everything?  
  
"Oh and how would you know?" I asked.  
  
"Just watch me."  
  
For the next ten minutes, I watched him zip around the room, carrying batter and M&Ms and butter and everything else. He finally slammed the oven door and said, "Done."  
  
I waited a while for them to get done, and then tasted one.  
  
They were soo delicious.  
  
I tried to control my anger as Matt smirked. "Okay, okay, they're good- amazing. Can you make two more batches?" I asked willingly.  
  
He handed me a list. The same list he shows me every time I ask him to do something. To tell you the truth, I was kind of bored with this routine.  
  
I gave him a wedgie with a bored look on my face, but inside I was laughing.  
  
"Ooh, ow, okay! I'll do it." And with that he was off, making cookies.  
  
I called Gordo and asked him if he was ready to come over with all of his stuff. He said he'd be over as fast he could be and that he was getting rid of a lot of stuff. I was relieved. By the time Gordo was at my house, Matt was done with the cookies.  
  
"Wow!" He said. "It smells good in here. Have you been baking something?"  
  
"Baking?" Mom came up to me and hugged me. "Oh, honey, what's wrong this time?"  
  
Huh?  
  
"What? Nothing's wrong." I said.  
  
"Well, when you didn't want to do rhythmic gymnastics, you were baking cookies and-"  
  
"No, mom! Matt's baking cookies for our cookie-slash-book-slash-garage sale- slash auction." I explained. That sounded kind of weird.  
  
"Matt? Helping you?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Pinch me, I must be dreaming." She walked away.  
  
"Okay, so you set up the things in my front yard?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
After that, Gordo, Matt, and me set up cookies and punch and made a huge sign and put posters all over town.  
  
We had twenty-seven customers.  
  
And we had made two hundred seven dollars.  
  
Animated Lizzie: It's a good thing that Gordo has a whole bunch of antiques that no one in his family wanted. We should auction things off more often.  
  
"203, 204, 205, 206, 207!" I squealed. "We have $207!"  
  
"Yeah!" Gordo cheered.  
  
We were going to Rome, and had tons of shopping money left over!  
  
Life could not get any better. 


	3. The Journey

"I'm going to Ro-ome; I'm going to Ro-ome!" I sang.  
  
"Oh please, stop it!" Matt yelped.  
  
"Rome, Rome, Ro-ome!"  
  
I was meeting the chaperone at the airport. I couldn't wait! It was going to be totally awesome!  
  
"We're here!" Dad announced.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I squealed. "I'm in Rome!"  
  
"No, dimwit. You are at the airport." Matt rolled his eyes.  
  
"What's the difference?" I said as I skipped into the airport.  
  
"No, Lizzie!" I heard a voice call. "You're not graceful enough to-"  
  
I tripped, landing face-first on concrete. Ow!  
  
"-skip." Gordo finished. He rushed over to me. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking concerned.  
  
I giggled and got up. "Gordo! I've fallen about a thousand times this month and you're worried about me every time. Let me tell you, I'm fine!"  
  
He sighed in relief. "Okay, I know. Sorry. I was just worried."  
  
"Whatever. Let's go inside before we miss our flight!" I started skipping again.  
  
"But our flight is not for and hour!"  
  
"What?" I spin around and fall again.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Okay, I'm never going to skip again.  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I sighed. Every time she fell, it scared me. What if she really got hurt? I didn't want that to happen to her.  
  
Okay, can you tell? I liked her. I wasn't sure that I loved her, probably not. It was just that I liked her more than friend. She made me so nervous when I was around her. But I couldn't tell her, that would completely ruin our friendship. And what if she didn't like me? That would be a huge mess. I didn't have the guts to tell her, anyway. So I kept quiet about it.  
  
Good idea or not?  
  
You decide.  
  
See, with Miranda gone to Mexico and all, it's really a mess. She kissed me on the cheek! She really did. But we discussed it, and she said it was a friendship kiss. I really hoped that wasn't the truth. But it was. I never finished what I wrote in her yearbook, and I'm still praying she hasn't read it. It'd be too embarrassing.  
  
I rolled my eyes like a best friend would. "Lizzie!"  
  
She smiled sheepishly. "Okay, so skipping isn't my best sport."  
  
We went inside the airport, and I was nervous. Leaving my parents for two months? In a foreign country? With Kate and Ethan? Okay, so there was an upside. Being with Lizzie, finding more things to videotape and make a documentary into. things like that. I had been on a plane before, but Lizzie hadn't. And she was freaking out.  
  
"What if it crashes? Or if I barf in front of Ethan? Or on Ethan?"  
  
I laughed to myself on that thought.  
  
"It's gonna sink, I know it. And we're all gonna die!"  
  
I had to calm her down. "Think about Rome, not about the plane." I said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Think about how much fun you're going to have at Rome instead of the plane." I repeated.  
  
"Okay-but what if we get lost?"  
  
"We won't." I patted her on the back.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked suspiciously. She glanced at her family and saw Matt taping this moment. "Augh! Matt! Get that thing out of my face!" She screamed.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha! Can't catch me!" He started dodging between the parents' legs, and then ran all over the airport, with Lizzie following his every move.  
  
"Flight 172 is boarding early in five minutes." An announcer said.  
  
I guess our flight time was changed. "Bye mom, dad." I said and hugged them.  
  
"Bye, David. And be good."  
  
I had to roll my eyes at that. "I will." I said, fighting the urge to add 'mommy' to the sentence. I was old enough to take care of myself.  
  
I glanced at Lizzie, who was still tackling her brother. "Lizzie, let's go!" I said.  
  
She ran to her mother and hugged her. Mrs. McGuire did a great deal of hugging back.  
  
"Mom-uh.mom!" Lizzie tried to catch her mother's attention.  
  
"Honey, honey." Sam said. "She can't breathe."  
  
Mrs. McGuire released Lizzie from her grasp.  
  
Lizzie hugged her dad, smirked at Matt, and took hold of my hand. My heart started to beat faster. "Come on!" She said as she tugged me towards the plane.  
  
I was melting. "Okay." I said as we head into the plane together.  
We were on the plane, about to lift off and Lizzie was scared to death.  
  
"I'm scared!" She whispered.  
  
I smiled to myself. This was a perfect opportunity to make her closer to me.  
  
"Remember what I said." I replied and put my arm around her shoulders and squeezed her against me.  
  
"Hey, yo, Lizzie!" Ethan calls from the seat behind her.  
  
She turns around, which meant that I had to put my hands back in my lap.  
  
"Yeah?" She asked, probably hoping that he'd ask her out.  
  
"Do you spell 'Rome' with two o's or three?"  
  
I snorted.  
  
"I think it's one." She said gently and slumped down in her seat.  
  
"Why can't he see that I like him?" She mumbled.  
  
"Because he's too dumb to think." I said. Not to say that you're dumb because you can't see that I like you. I added silently.  
  
"Gordo!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Ooh, sorry. I forgot our rule. 'No dissing Ethan.'"  
  
She nods.  
  
"Ten seconds 'til liftoff!" The pilot announced.  
  
That was random.  
  
Lizzie started freaking out again. "What do I do?"  
  
"Put your seatbelt and chew gum and stay-"  
  
I was going to say 'close to me', but I was interrupted by the plane moving.  
  
She put her head against me and squeezed her eyes shut. I gripped her hand.  
  
And soon we were in the air. Two minutes later, I noticed something.  
  
Lizzie was asleep on my shoulder.  
  
I didn't know what to do. So I decided to keep her on my shoulder, while I watched the featured movie. I hope she didn't wake up soon, because I liked the feeling of her breathing on my neck.  
  
Was I going crazy?  
  
Or was I falling in love?  
  
I'll take crazy. 


	4. The Journey, Part II

Lizzie POV  
  
I woke up and noticed that I was on Gordo's shoulder, and he was holding my hand. The only odd thing was, he wasn't paying attention to me. I sat up straight as he removed his headphones.  
  
"Oh, you're awake!" he said. "Turn it to station 5 if you want to listen to music. The movie's kind of lame."  
  
Station 5 it was. I started to rip open my set of headphones that came in a bag.  
  
I stopped. "Wait. Gordo-are we on the plane?" I asked, obviously knowing the answer.  
  
He looked at me strangely. Then we started laughing hysterically.  
  
"Shhh!" Kate exclaimed from the seat next to Ethan. "I'm trying to read here."  
  
Right.  
  
"What do you think she's reading?" Gordo whispered to me.  
  
"I can't be Harry Potter, that's for sure." I said as I leaned over and tried to see what she was reading. "Seventeen. Just as I expected."  
  
We start laughing again.  
  
"Shhhhh!"  
  
I fell onto Gordo, still giggling, and he stopped laughing. I stopped, too. Then there was an awkward silence that none of us could describe. Fortunately, the flight announcer broke the stillness.  
  
"We will be landing in 10 minutes."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Ten minutes? TEN MINUTES?  
  
I gulped. What if the plane blew up right before it touched the ground? I couldn't think about it.  
  
"Whatever you're thinking, it won't happen." Gordo said to me.  
  
He knew me so well.  
  
I looked out the window and saw-clouds. I was hoping to see a more exciting sight, like the view of Rome or something. I made a face and put on my seatbelt. I unwrapped a stick of gum and started chewing.  
  
Gordo laughed. "You sound like a horse."  
  
Animated Lizzie: You know, he's right.  
  
I was about to respond as the plane lurched forward and I shrieked. I started bobbing up and down nervously. It felt as the plane was going straight down. I put my hands in my lap and promised myself that I would not ever ride in a plane again.  
  
Animated Lizzie: La, la, la, la. I'm not on a plane... I'm on a roller coaster... I'm having fun. La, la, la! LA!  
  
I occurred to me that I loved roller coasters, like the ones at Coaster Kingdom, but I hated planes. So it wasn't that I was scared of heights. I was scared of planes!  
  
I heard a loud thud interrupt my thoughts.  
  
"Gordo!" I squealed. "I'm alive!"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, you are."  
  
"And you're alive too!"  
  
"Yup."  
  
I gasped and looked outside. "AND WE'RE IN ROME!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
Gordo POV  
  
Lizzie sure knew how to get on a guy's nerves. That high-pitched screaming she did over things like puppies, Ethan, pants, and. Rome. At least Miranda wasn't there to screaming with her. Then my eardrums would have definitely popped by now.  
  
"Okay, okay. Lizzie, quiet." I instructed her. "Breathe."  
  
She started breathing deeply and then Ethan looked over his seat to look at us.  
  
"Are you okay, McG?"  
  
I smiled. I knew Lizzie would make a huge deal out of this.  
  
She put her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint by slumping down in her chair. "No, Ethan. I'm terrible! I can't see anything. I'm so dizzy." Her eyes lit up. "Maybe you could carry me out?" She asked innocently.  
  
I was a little disappointed that she hadn't asked me to carry her, but I forgot that Ethan was her crush, not me.  
  
"Sorry Lizzie. I can't carry two women at once." Ethan pointed at Kate, who was doing a worse act than Lizzie. "Or maybe I could if I had a tree-and salsa."  
  
What?  
  
"Awwww." She whispered to me. "That's so cute the way he says that."  
  
Trees and salsa? If Ethan did have those things, he'd probably eat the tree and plant the salsa. How could Lizzie like him so much all based on his looks? I wished that Ethan would shave his head. Then I could see her reaction to him. I could not believe that Lizzie was so shallow. She seems so sweet and funny when I'm alone with her and Miranda, but when Ethan comes around; she starts acting like a whole new person. A person like Kate, or someone I don't like.  
  
How did I end up talking about Lizzie? I was talking about Ethan here.  
  
I guess that's what happened when you are in-'like' with your best friend.  
  
"Yeah. Real cute." I said sarcastically.  
  
"Gor-do!"  
  
"Sorry, my bad."  
  
She started running out of the plane, and I followed her.  
  
I felt like I had been here for years, when all I had been here for was just a couple of minutes.  
  
Rome felt so much like home.  
  
Rome sweet Rome. 


	5. Roomies

"Beth Ludburg, you will be pared with Anita James. Room 426."  
  
Squeals filled the room.  
  
They were announcing the roommates we'd be having. I knew that Veruca was paired with Brooke Baker, and that Larry was paired with Ethan Craft. The only four names I hadn't heard were mine, Danny Kessler's, Kate's, and Lizzie's.  
  
"David Gordon-you will be sharing room 426 with Danny Kessler."  
  
Not bad.  
  
But wait-that meant Lizzie and Kate were stuck together.  
  
Uh-oh.  
  
"...And Kate Saunders and Lizzie McGuire in room 427."  
Lizzie POV  
  
Animated Lizzie: No. NO! This is not happening! I didn't hear that. La-dee- da-dee-da! Can't hear you!  
  
I rolled my eyes and glanced at Kate, who was staring open-mouthed at me.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh no! I'm paired with Kate. KATE!  
  
She walked over to me, in her prissy little pink miniskirt and no-sleeved top. "Okay, Loosie. This is how it's-"  
  
I stopped her. "The name's Lizzie." I said.  
  
She ignored me. "-gonna work. You don't touch my stuff, bother me, or listen to me at all times! I need the bathroom longer, and I need the phone longer. This is just a warning." And she walked away with the key to our room.  
  
Animated Lizzie: This is how, no, exactly how I treat Matt. Now I know how he feels.  
  
"Kate! Wait for me!" I said, running behind her.  
  
This was so not fair. I was stuck in a room with Kate... for two entire months!  
  
When we reached the room, Kate slid the card/key thing in until the light turned green and opened the handle. She gasped.  
  
"Oh, wow! This is...amazing!" I gulped. "This is the most luxurious hotel I have ever been in!"  
  
"What was the school's budget... a dollar?" Kate said snottily. "They could at least have a fountain in here."  
  
I rolled my eyes. Kate was never pleased.  
  
It was truly amazing, there were big fluffy pillows on each bed, the TV was huge (not big-screen, though), the scent of flowers filled the air. And last, but not least...  
  
I pushed the curtains aside. "Whoa." I said, starry-eyed.  
  
Outside was a view of Rome. It was so cool that I can't even explain it.  
  
"That... is the only good thing in this room so far." Kate smirked.  
  
I scoffed. The only thing? Was she kidding?  
  
"Oh, great!" Kate sighed. "There's not even enough room for my stuff. I guess you'll just have to keep your junk in your suitcase."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Junk? What is she calling junk? Her twenty pairs of shoes are junk!  
  
"Fine." I agreed, but inside I was burning.  
  
This was so not fair!  
  
iBeep, beep, beep, beep! i  
  
"Huh?" I said, as my eyes flew wide open. I looked at my digital clock.  
  
Animated Lizzie: 5:45 A.M! I didn't even know that 5 had an A.M!  
  
My eyes searched around to see where the noise was coming from. I couldn't find it. Then I noticed Kate, who was slamming her hand on her pink fuzzy alarm clock.  
  
"Kate!" I exclaimed.  
  
"What?" She said, getting up.  
  
"Why are you getting ready so early? Breakfast doesn't start until, like, 7!"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Why should I bother asking? She probably has to shave her legs or something.  
  
"Don't you think I know that, McGuire? I have to shave my legs!"  
  
I smiled and got dressed. I could shower later. I watched TV for about an hour, but couldn't concentrate because Kate was singing in the shower.  
  
"Eeek, oh-no-o-o...Ahhhhh! Oh you-Eeek! Queeeeeeeen of the World!"  
  
Someone ought to tell her that she is never going to be a Britany Spears.  
  
Well, at least I had something to look forward to. Today we were going on a tour of Rome! (A/N: I know practically nothing, nada, about Rome, so I'm going to make up some junk. So don't complain if the places they go don't exist.) I was so excited.  
  
I left the room, with Kate still singing away in the shower.  
  
Animated Lizzie: I have to admit, being Kate's roommate isn't as bad as I thought it would be.  
  
"Mwah, la, la, me... Eeeee!"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Okay, I change my mind. 


	6. Chicken

I started walking down the stairs, trying to make a grand entrance. I walked slowly and steady, keeping my balance. I was on step 6 when-  
  
"Hey!" I heard Ethan call from a few steps behind me.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Answer him!  
  
I spun around to face him, but tripped instead and slid down the rest of the stairs. Bump, bump, bump. Ow! I heard laughter coming from my right .I glanced over to see fifty eighth graders giggling and snickering. And you know what?  
  
None of them asked if I was alright.  
  
I mean he-llo! I had just fallen down a fleet of stairs, and all they could do was laugh at me? I could have broken my neck!  
  
I struggled to get to the table that Gordo, Danny, Brooke, and Veruca were at.  
  
"Ooh. That was a pretty bad fall. You okay?" Veruca asked.  
  
I nodded. Something was missing... aha! Gordo hadn't asked if I was okay yet. He wasn't in that protective big-brother mode that he was always in when I fall. I guessed he was tired.  
  
"So is this choose-your-own stuff?" I asked, as if nothing had happened. "Or is it you-will-be-served stuff."  
  
"Yeah." Gordo said absentmindedly.  
  
"Hello?" I waved my hand in his face. "Earth to Gordo."  
  
"W-what?"  
  
I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Oh, hey. So, um-how was rooming with Kate?"  
  
Animated Lizzie: I was waiting for someone to ask me that.  
  
"It was the most horrible experience of my life! She turned my alarm clock on extra early, so she could 'shower...'" I heard a familiar voice moan.  
  
Kate!  
  
What a liar.  
  
"It was, uh, okay." I tried.  
  
"Right." Gordo said. "Really, how is she treating you?"  
  
"No really, it's fine. I wouldn't mind if we changed the subject here..." I started. "Okay. Um, so when is our food gonna get here?"  
  
"We ate already."  
  
"At 6:30!" I exclaimed. "My schedule said 7!"  
  
Gordo winced. "Here." He tossed me a bagel.  
  
I stuffed it into my mouth and got up.  
  
"Lizzie, wait-"  
  
Gordo POV Here was my chance. My chance to tell her my feelings for her. I had chickened out before, but I was not going to let that stop me. I had stared at her long enough. I could do this.  
  
"Um, I-you, well..." I sputtered.  
  
"Gordo, are you okay?" She asked.  
  
I could do this!  
  
"I-I mean, um..." I glanced around to find an excuse. "Don't you want some orange juice?"  
  
NO! I couldn't do this.  
  
I sighed.  
  
"Uh, I guess. Sure." She sat down and started to pour orange juice into a cup as I stared at her dreamily.  
  
I was such a chicken.  
  
But hey, at least our friendship wouldn't be ruined.  
  
BUT I WAS SUCH A CHICKEN! 


	7. A Chat With Danny

A/N: Oh, my gosh! Thank you so much for all of the reviews! It's amazing! I got 5 reviews in four hours! That's so awesome! The praise is so great. It makes me want to write away. So you know, this will be probably 15-25 chapters. I'm not sure, because when I write, I rush things, or I make them go extra slowly. Let's see how this turns out. Oh, and if you were wondering, I soooooo do not own Lizzie McGuire. If I did, I'd be rich, and I wouldn't waste my time on a fanfic site. Ciaoness. Remember, I'm only eleven, so be nice if I don't add enough emotion or something.  
  
~Person Y2K  
  
Gordo's POV I hated it. I couldn't say a word to her.  
  
Maybe that was a good thing.  
  
Because if I told her, our friendship would be ruined.  
  
So being a chicken wasn't that bad.  
  
Or was it?  
  
I was so confused.  
  
I ran upstairs to write in my journal. No one knew about it, not even Lizzie and Miranda. It was totally private and I had it since I was a preschooler. I remember my first entry...  
  
iI am 4 now. I am hape. Mi lif iz prfekt. Lize seyz she wants 2 be 4, 2. I sed it dont matr, cuz weel alwayz be frendz 4evr. i  
  
Translation: I am 4 now. I am happy. My life is perfect. Lizzie says she wants to be 4, too. I said it doesn't' matter, because we'll always be friends forever.  
  
I treasured that entry. Now here I was, eleven years later, still writing in it.  
  
i I don't know what to say to her. I'm sick of pretending to like her as a friend. I like her, I can't deny, but what can I do? Does she know? Nah, I'm not that obvious. But I want to clue her in, somehow. Like not tell her that I like her loud and clear, but like giving off a little hint.  
  
Am I making any sense?  
  
I can look at her and imagine all sorts of things. This that I'm too embarrassed to ti  
  
I closed my journal as I heard the door unlocking and slid it under my pillow. (A/N: I know, it's an obvious hiding spot, but who gives?)  
  
"Hey. What are you doing?" Danny said.  
  
"Um, thinking."  
  
"About-?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Right." Danny turned on the TV. "Whatever then. If you don't want to talk to me..."  
  
Oh no, not the sad eyes. It always works when Lizzie did it. Why shouldn't it work for Danny?  
  
"Fine." I said. I wasn't going to tell him details. "I'm thinking about someone."  
  
"A girl?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
I sighed heavily. Were girls the only 'someone's people like Danny thought about? "Yes."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Not telling."  
  
"Oh, come on. It's Lizzie, right?"  
  
My mouth dropped open. I was about to say 'no', but I didn't care anymore. I needed to tell someone. It was driving me crazy, bottling up my feelings like that. "How'd you know?"  
  
He shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I guess the constant staring you do was a clue."  
  
"Am I really that obvious?"  
  
"Not really. I'm just a bright guy."  
  
Danny, bright? Okay, so he wasn't an Ethan, but he wasn't that smart either.  
  
"Listen, it's not that big of a deal. It's just a silly crush. It'll blow over." I lied.  
  
Little did I know that Danny wasn't so dumb after all... 


	8. Snooping

Danny POV  
  
When David left to take a shower (we left for the tour in about an hour), I sneaked over to his pillow. I had seen him writing furiously in his journal, and he had hid it while I was coming in. It wouldn't hurt to just take a peek...  
  
I pulled out the thick, and I mean i thicki, journal and opened it to the most recent page.  
  
I read what he had written.  
  
(A/N: I'm not a big fan of repeating, so I'm not writing what Gordo wrote over again)  
  
I gasped as I closed it and slipped it under his pillow again. David said it was just a little crush. Well, he was wrong.  
  
Man, he had the hots for Lizzie.  
  
He had it bad.  
  
Did he really think he'd get off that easily? I read his diary from when he started having a crush on her, way back in seventh grade. He had dumped Brooke Baker just because he liked Lizzie so much!  
  
This was juicy.  
  
I read about this dude Ronnie, and how he had broken her heart, how she had broken the head off of a statue, how her little brother had popped a football... whoa! This guy's life was complicated.  
  
I read on and on. I read about a stunt during Monte Carlo Night, Lizzie being an advice columnist, Gordo almost asking her, out, and a kiss that was confessed as a 'friendship kiss'.  
  
I slipped the journal back under the pillow and started watching TV, as David came out of the bathroom. I stared at him with wide eyes doubtfully. How come he had never told anyone about his messed-up life?  
  
"You look like you just saw a five-headed cat." He said. "Everything okay?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
I decided not to tell him I had read his journal.  
  
He'd have to figure out this one out on his own. 


	9. Trevi Fountain

Lizzie POV  
  
I was standing in line, next to Gordo, as the teachers/chaperone's passed out tons of brochures. I was so excited! I was actually going to see Rome! The real Rome! I felt tingly inside.  
  
"Now, stick with your buddy." They reminded us.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Are all parents the same?  
  
I tightened my grip on Gordo's hand and held it in the air to show them that I wouldn't get lost.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Now can we go, please?  
  
There was a tour guide who led us outside. I went through a checklist in my mind.  
  
Camera... check  
  
Money...check  
  
My 'buddy'... check  
  
"Ciao!" A petite woman said. "Today we will be exploring the wonderful world of i La Chita Etharna i."  
  
We all looked at her questioningly.  
  
"Rome, the eternal city! Did no one read the info packets?"  
  
I started giggling as we headed outside the hotel.  
  
I gasped.  
  
"Whoa." Was all I could say.  
  
Sure, it looked great from my hotel window, but up close and personal it was... incredible!  
  
The sky was blue; there were buildings everywhere, cars were racing down the streets and stuff like that. Now you would think, "Yeah I can find that in NYC." Well, you're wrong. Everything wasn't like hustle-bustle like. It seemed to run so smoothly, with a rhythm. I looked up and saw not a cloud in sight, and no dead trees. All fresh looking, strong, yet young. I looked down and saw not icky sewers, but a perfectly paved sidewalk divided evenly. I looked in front of me and saw lots of shops, like downtown back home. But there was this feeling. This eternal feeling . Animated Lizzie: No wonder it's called 'the eternal city'.  
  
"Yeah, whoa." Gordo blinked in amazement.  
  
"First, we'll be going to the Trevi Fountain."  
  
The guide starting walking down the streets, and we all followed her, although we were paying no attention whatsoever to her. I mean, who wants to listen to a tour guide when you can see the wondrous sights of Rome!  
  
Animated Lizzie: Gee, I sound like our brochures!  
Gordo POV  
  
I was stunned. Rome was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as-  
  
No, I was not going to say it. I'd regret it for the rest of my life. I was going to forget about her for now. I was not going to think about her. I was going to focus on Rome. I was never going to get her, anyway.  
  
We arrived at the Trevi Fountain, and it was drop-dead gorgeous.  
  
The water was-  
  
Okay, I was not going to describe anything either. I'd end up talking about her.  
  
Her who?  
  
I was doing a good job of forgetting her so far.  
  
I snapped back into reality and listened to the guide speak.  
  
"Thousands of people come from all over the world to make a wish and toss their coin into the Trevi Fountain. Rumor has it that dreams become a reality. So, if you want, make a wish."  
  
This was my big chance...  
Lizzie POV  
  
I thought and thought really hard, and I couldn't think of anything to wish for. Then I got the best idea... why not wish for something that could never happen?  
  
I took out a quarter from my pocket and closed my eyes. I started to concentrate really hard.  
  
Animated Lizzie: I wish that I could become famous, and be an idol instead of being plain old Lizzie. I want to be that world-famous "Lizzie McGuire." Give me that, Trevi Fountain.  
  
I gripped the coin and tossed it into the big fountain over my shoulder. I opened my eyes, just to see it land in along with thousands of other coins.  
  
Now all I had to do was wait and see if my dream came true...  
  
A/N: Okay, next chapter, I'll try not to switch POVs so often. I really like this chapter because without it, this movie/story would make no sense at all. 


	10. Paolo

Gordo POV  
  
i I wish that Lizzie would notice me. That's all I'm asking. i I thought silently as I tossed a coin into the fountain.  
  
"So, what did you wish for?" Lizzie asked me.  
  
"Uh, noth-nothing. Just, um... I hope I..." I trailed off, thinking of a wish. "...become a famous director someday." I nodded. "Nothing special."  
  
"Well, if you want the Reader's Digest condensed version... I hoped that I could be really well-known and famous." She said. "I hope my wish comes true."  
  
I sighed. "Yep, so do I..." I said with a far-away look. I was trying to imagine how it would be like if Lizzie and me were actually together. Ooh, good thoughts. Very nice. I could feel her...  
  
"Gordo, why do you have that goofy smile on your face?" Lizzie looked confused. "You've been spacing out a lot since we got to Rome. Is everything okay?"  
  
I had been spacing out way before we got to Rome, only not enough for anyone to notice. But I couldn't let her know that!  
  
"Everything's fine." I lied. "Just perfect."  
  
i Like you. i I wanted to add.  
  
No wait, what was I saying? I wasn't in love with Lizzie. I was too young. And- I didn't want to be.  
  
Then what were those funny feelings I kept getting every time I thought about her. I wasn't in love. I knew that.  
  
Then what would describe what I was feeling?  
  
I shook the questions out of my head and listened to the tour guide speaking.  
  
"The Trevi Fountain has been here for years and years and no one knows where it gets its magic touch. Some believe that there is no so called 'magic touch', that all of the dreams come true are just coincidences. But what if there is something wondrous about the Trepid Fountain that none of us knows about...?"  
  
I smiled. If my dream came true, it would prove that the Trevi Fountain had a magic essence. You know why?  
  
Because my wish wasn't going to come true. Unless...  
  
Magic really did exist.  
Lizzie POV  
  
I looked over at Gordo, who was staring into the fountain. I knew for a fact that he wasn't staring i at i it. He was staring right through it. What was wrong with him these days? It was like-  
  
My thoughts were interrupted by someone saying, "Isabella?"  
  
I looked over to my right and saw a gorgeous, I mean oh-so gorgeous guy taking off his sunglasses. He looked like a God. But I was confused. Why was he calling me Isabella?  
  
"Huh?" I asked.  
  
"Oh, my lord! Isabella, is that you?" He cried in his incredibly incredible accent. "You dyed your hair!"  
  
"I'm Lizzie... Lizzie McGuire." I said. "Who's Isabella? And who are you?"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Okay, I should lower the number of questions next time.  
  
"Lizzie? Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought you were Isabella." He smiled.  
  
I melted.  
  
"I'm Paolo."  
  
Paolo? What a wonderful name. What a wonderful, wonderful name.  
  
I smiled at him. "I'm sorry I'm not Isabella." I said.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Ooh, nice answer. Very cute and mysterious, yet playful. I'm so good at flirting.  
  
"I'm sorry for my mistake." He frowned. "It is just that you look so much like Isabella, Lizzie."  
  
Isabella, Isabella, Isabella. Was that all he was going to talk about? I kept on thinking he meant Miranda, because her middle name is Isabella. I wished he'd talk more about himself.  
  
I was speechless for a moment.  
  
I glanced over at Gordo, so he could clue me in on what I could say to Paolo.  
  
But he was scowling.  
  
Huh? 


	11. Not Her Type

Gordo POV  
  
I wiped the scowl off of my face and replaced it with a clean, fresh smile. Who was that guy Lizzie was flirting with?  
  
I turned to the group and shook my head. It was no use. I would never be the guy that Lizzie would go crazy over. Lizzie only fell for that Hollywood-type. And unfortunately, I was not the Hollywood-type.  
  
I took a glimpse of what was going on. She started giggling.  
  
"Oh, Paolo, I'd love to!" She exclaimed.  
  
Love to what?  
  
"I'll meet you tomorrow, Isabella... I mean Lizzie. I have a really awkward idea. And don't be late." He smiled brightly.  
  
"Oh don't worry about that. I won't."  
  
He kissed her hand as she giggled as she walked over to me.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" She squealed.  
  
"Oh, please don't." I grumbled.  
  
"Gordo, I just met the hottest guy. His name is Paolo. Isn't that a fantastic name?" She bit her lower lip and shivered, still smiling.  
  
"Glorious." I mumbled.  
  
"And I'm going to meet him tomorrow at the Lenora Café. Ooh, that's sounds so Italian, doesn't it?"  
  
"Yup." I said unenthusiastically. I didn't think she'd notice.  
  
I was wrong.  
  
"Is everything alright?" She asked, with a concerned look on her face.  
  
"Never been better." I pasted a fake smile on my face.  
  
"Okay." She said, and walked away happily.  
  
What was wrong with me? Why Paolo? Why not me?  
  
I liked her better than any Paolo ever would.  
  
So why not me?  
  
I was depressed. I had to get over her. She was just a girl.  
  
Just an amazing girl.  
  
Why was I acting like this? Was Lizzie the only thing on my mind? What about video games, my camera, or food? What happened to all my other obsessions?  
  
Too many questions. I couldn't handle it.  
  
We moved onto the next stop. I couldn't enjoy it, even though I acted like I was. I aimed my camera at the buildings, but I felt like aiming it at Lizzie.  
  
GET OVER HER! My brain screamed.  
  
But my heart was saying something different. 


	12. We Meet Again

Lizzie POV  
  
When the tour was over, all I did was squeal away in my hotel room.  
  
"Keep it down!" Kate said from her bed. "I'm trying to listen to music!"  
  
"But the hottest guy in all of Rome, or as they say here, "Roma" asked me out! On a date! He said it was really important." I sighed happily.  
  
"Yeah, uh huh..." Kate said. "Whatever!"  
  
"I have a boyfriend!" I felt like jumping up and down. Then I sat on my bed and thought. What was so important that Paolo wanted to talk to me about?  
  
Animated Lizzie: Maybe he's asking me to go steady with him. Or maybe he wants to say that I'm amazing, he loves me, and he'll always be there for me. Yeah, that's it!  
  
I could not wait for tomorrow.  
"What do I wear?" I asked myself as I looked through my clothes (that were still in my suitcase thanks to Kate).  
  
I sighed and tried on a pink striped shirt and decided it would look okay with my blue striped pants.  
  
We were going on another tour today, only instead of lunch break, I would be meeting Paolo at this garden and he would take me to the Lenora Café. Ahhhhh! Life couldn't get any better.  
  
I met Gordo, Brooke, Danny, and Veruca at 6:30 for breakfast. We didn't have exotic food. Well, if you call toast, cereal, and donuts exotic... then we did.  
  
We started the tour. I was restless.  
  
"Aargh! When are we going to get to the Hereine Garden?" I asked Gordo when we were at the Coliseum.  
  
"This is so much better!" He exclaimed. "They had tons of battles here." He said, videotaping every inch of it.  
  
"But I'm going to meet Paolo at the garden!" I insisted.  
  
"It was built over 2,000 years ago!"  
  
"I don't care!" I said, feeling exasperated.  
  
I couldn't wait. I was jumping up and down during the tour of the Jenerade, and then finally the time came for us to go to the Hereine Garden.  
  
"Lizzie!" Paolo cried in his amazing accent.  
  
I was surprised. There were cameras behind him. Lots of cameras. Yesterday there were some, but I thought those were tourists. Was Paolo famous or something?  
  
"Okay, it's time for our lunch break! Meet back here in an hour!" The chaperones said as everyone scattered..  
  
"Let's go!" I told Paolo, tugging on his sleeve. "Are we taking a cab?"  
  
"Uh... Lizzie? I don't think we can do that." He started heading toward the parking lot. The cameras followed.  
  
He came to a motorcycle. "Get on!" he commanded.  
  
"Okay." I said, and got on behind him.  
  
I strapped a red helmet on, and gripped his shoulders. He started the motorcycle up and drove off. The cameras stopped flashing and soon they were out of sight.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Ha ha! You can't catch us!  
  
We drove for about 15 minutes.  
  
"What was up with that?" I asked as he stopped at a red light.  
  
"Lizzie, there's something I have to tell you." Paolo said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm a former European popstar." He sighed and started to drive. "And the press and paparazzi are chasing me."  
  
Animated Lizzie: What did he just say? 


	13. A Dream Come True

He parked at the Lenora Café and went inside and sat down.  
  
"Okay, what did you say?" I asked suspiciously.  
  
I had heard him before. He said he was a former popstar. But that couldn't be true... could it?  
  
"It's a long story." He said.  
  
"I've got time."  
  
"Okay, I used to be a popstar. I had this girlfriend, Isabella." He started.  
  
Oh, that's who Isabella was.  
  
Wait! Did he say... was I-was I really talking with a famous person?  
  
"Isabella was my singing partner. But we broke up, and so did my career." He finished in his cute accent.  
  
"So what's your 'awkward' idea?"  
  
"Okay, I have this crazy idea. So she was my partner, right? And since you're like twins... Maybe you could take her place, and be my singing partner."  
  
"Cool!" I exclaimed casually.  
  
Then I froze. Was this real? Did my wish at the Trevi Fountain really come true? WAS A POPSATR ASKING ME TO BE HIS SINGING PARTNER?  
  
This was great!  
  
Then I snapped to reality.  
  
"I'm not that good in front of crowds. I don't even let my mom hear me in the shower. I get all nervous and tense, and I trip a lot." I said.  
  
Animated Lizzie: What am I saying? Am I saying no to a glamorous life that I have always wanted?  
  
"Well, think about it. And I'll meet you at the Spanish Steps tomorrow, during your tour."  
  
"O-okay." I managed to say.  
  
I was in total shock.  
  
This was going to take a whole lot of thinking. 


	14. Realization

Gordo POV  
  
"And that's it. That was our entire conversation. I'm telling you, he's so hot!" Lizzie finished off.  
  
"Are you serious?" I said.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Wow, that's amazing. So, what are you going to do? Are you going to say yes or no?" I asked.  
  
"Well, I was sort of hoping you'd help me on that one. I mean, this decision could change my life forever. And I'm so not exaggerating."  
  
This was great. Lizzie thought she had just met the love of her life, and I was supposed to help her decide if she were to be his singing partner or not. I wanted to tell her to say no, so then I could spend more time with her. But that would be selfish. So I had to tell her to follow her dreams, because that's what would make her happy.  
  
Aargh!  
  
"Tell him yes. Go for a new challenge. See how it works out." I said.  
  
It was the scariest thing that had ever come out of my mouth.  
  
"I don't know." She looked doubtful. "I'm not sure I'd like all of the newspapers following me."  
  
"Try it." I forced. "Please? For your best friend?"  
  
She took a deep breath. "Okay. Tomorrow, I'm going to tell Paolo that I want to be famous..."  
  
Her eyes widened about five feet.  
  
"I'M GONNA BE FAMOUS, GORDO!" She screamed.  
  
"Yeah." I said half-heartedly. "I know."  
  
"Eeeeeeeeeeeee!" She squealed.  
  
I closed my eyes and sighed.  
  
Not again.  
  
A/N: If you guys don't review more, this story's going down. 15 reviews by Sunday, or else I'm not updating! And please help me! I'm stuck on this story. I need ideas! 


	15. The Truth

A/N: Oh, my gosh! I had no idea! See, the Lizzie McGuire movie, may not be out yet, but the book based on the movie is! I saw it at Borders! If you buy it, pu-leese don't tell me about it! I want the movie to be a surprise and not get ruined! And trust me, I didn't read much of the book. I read the back and then forced myself not to buy it. So if this is totally like the movie, it's 99% a coincidence.  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
Animated Lizzie: I can't believe I let Gordo talk me into this!  
  
I walked up to Paolo at the Spanish Steps. "Hey." I said weakly, my knees shaking.  
  
"Ciao, Lizzie." (A/N: That was the original name of the movie) He grinned.  
  
"So, did you think about my offer?"  
  
"Yeah... I-thought."  
  
"So, did you decide yet?"  
  
"Y-yeah."  
  
"So what's it going to be?"  
  
I closed my eyes.  
  
Animated Lizzie: If I can't talk in front of Paolo, what am I going to do on stage?  
  
"I... I accept." I said quickly.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Accept? Why'd I say that?  
  
"Great!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Paolo, is that Isabella?" A woman reporter asked, as someone started to snap photos.  
  
I looked at him worriedly. What was he going to say to that?  
  
"This," He said as he kissed my hand and cameras went off wildly. "Is my friend. No other comments."  
  
I raised my eyebrows. He was good at this!  
  
"Run." He whispered to me.  
  
I obeyed. We ran to the top of the steps.  
  
"I'll teach you everything I know." He said, huffing. "Number one, this is one thing that you'll have to get used to. Always running. Don't run from fans, that's rude. Run from the media."  
  
"Run from media. Don't run from fans. Got it." I caught my breath.  
  
"We have to let the media know that you're my new singing partner, but before that, I have to train you."  
  
Train me? I wasn't a dog!  
  
"Now, can you sing?"  
  
"Well, I..."  
  
***  
  
I got into our hotel room, and Kate wasn't there. Thank goodness. Then I took my hairbrush. I went into the bathroom and locked the door. I was going to try this. I made sure I looked okay in the mirror and started dancing and singing an S Club song. (A/N: I have no idea what song she sings, but I just picked out the one that is stuck in my head.)  
  
"Finally Friday night  
  
Feeling kinda good, looking alright  
  
Gotta get moving, can't be late  
  
Gotta get grooving, just can't wait  
  
Get the feeling, get the feeling  
  
Push the ceiling, push the ceiling  
  
Player hater, player hater  
  
Get ready everybody 'cause-" I tripped over my feet and fell backwards onto the shower. The shower curtain ripped off and I got tangled in it.  
  
"Oof!" I groaned. I couldn't perform in a bathroom, let alone on a stage! I was a total and complete klutz.  
  
I hoped Paolo could fix that.  
  
I knew he could. Someone so cute could do anything. I knew it. I was falling in love. I hoped he felt the same way about me.  
  
Little did I know...  
  
***  
  
Paolo POV  
  
"I don't care!" I screamed at my manager, Sergei. "I'm doing this for a reason."  
  
"What reason? I don't understand!"  
  
"If I don't make the world think Lizzie is Isabella, then Isabella and I will get sued!" I tried to explain.  
  
"But she's just a hopeless American girl, Paolo. She doesn't know anything about performing or your history with Isabella. She thinks you're replacing her for Isabella, when you're not. What will she think when the press calls her 'Isabella'? And what if she refuses to dye her hair?" Sergei asked.  
  
"Too many questions. I might convince everyone somehow that she's not Isabella, and still not get sued. If I be sweet to her, everything will turn out okay." I said, hoping what I said was true. 


	16. Dance

Gordo POV  
  
I didn't feel like myself. I knew that tomorrow was a free day, and that Lizzie had gotten permission to get trained by Paolo. Something didn't seem right about that guy. He seemed like a phony on a mission to me. But what did I know? I was just plain Gordo.  
  
"I know, it's terrible." I heard Danny from his bed, where he was leafing through some magazine.  
  
"What's terrible?" I asked.  
  
"Oh, come on. I know the deal. Some guy asked Lizzie out, and now you're totally suffering, am I right?"  
  
"Close enough." I said.  
  
"Look, it's no big. She'll get over him and move on to some other guy... maybe even you. She always does." He grinned.  
  
I looked at him strangely. "How do you know that?"  
  
His smile disappeared. "I-I... I read your journal, okay?"  
  
I scoffed. "Well, you could have told me earlier."  
  
"Here's my advice: Do nothing at all. Trust me, it'll work." The smile returned. "When the guy dumps her, she'll some crying to no one but you, like she did with Ronnie. You'll comfort her, and then she'll move on."  
  
"But what if it takes years for her to notice that I'm the guy she likes?"  
  
"Hey, I'm not a genius here. I guess you'll have to wait until the time comes."  
  
"What if it doesn't?"  
  
"It will."  
  
"What if-"  
  
"Enough with the what 'if's, will ya?" He looked annoyed.  
  
"Sorry. It's just that it's so hard to wait." I frowned.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
I sighed. Danny was right.  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
"Okay, so where are we going again?" I said, walking down the streets of Rome with Paolo the next day.  
  
"The dance floor that I always practice on." He said simply as he stopped at a broken-down door. It looked pretty ordinary, but you never know.  
  
I nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready to go in."  
  
Animated Lizzie: One...two... three!  
  
He opened the door and walked down a flight of a stairs.  
  
"Gosh, this place looks a-"  
  
He opened another door.  
  
I gasped so hard I thought I would choke. "-cient." I finished.  
  
It was huge! There were lights and windows and seats... I was like a stage! I hoped no one would be watching me learn. I'd be so embarrassed.  
  
I gazed at Paolo, who was looking around. I smiled to myself. He was in a tank top, so his huge muscles showed. He was so amazing! His eyes were practically glowing.  
  
"Okay, so where shall we start?"  
  
I looked uneasy. "Start from the beginning."  
  
In two hours, I was dancing like a pro...  
  
Except for the endless tripping.  
  
A/N: Sorry, but I'm probably not going to use every line I hear in the trailers, since now there's so many of them! It'll be really hard to mold a story and include thousands of lines. But today, I saw Hilary Duff's 'Why Not' music video! It had a lot of scenes from the original movie, and it helped me a lot. 


	17. Concert Talk

Lizzie POV  
  
"Help me!" I whined to Paolo after we were done training. "I can't sing!"  
  
He looked deep into my eyes. "Yes, you can."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Who is he kidding? Of course I can't. But if he says so...  
  
I gulped nervously. "Teach me."  
  
"I won't."  
  
I raised my eyebrows.  
  
He won't? What kind of answer was that? If I wanted to be famous, I needed to know more than just dancing. I had to know how to sing, how to act, how to dress... and, oh, about a gazillion other things.  
  
"What I mean is, you'll have to learn that by yourself." He smiled that gorgeous smile that made me melt. "But, I'll teach you how to act around the press, how to dress, and how to eat."  
  
My eyebrows rose higher.  
  
How to eat? Was he serious?  
  
"Okay, go ahead." I said, preparing myself for the worst.  
  
"Our first concert is only a small one, okay? So don't be worried. It's in two weeks."  
  
I had a hard time to take all of this in. Our first concert? Had he really said 'concert'? I barely knew how to be famous. I was not ready for something that big yet!  
  
But no, I didn't say anything about that. "How small is small?" I asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, about one thousand people. They all work for me... or shall I say us, so it's not that big of a deal."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Not that big of a deal? NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL? This is the biggest thing that's ever happened to me. And he's saying it's not that big of a deal???  
  
"I can't memorize." I said, giving him another problem to deal with. "Not dance steps, not songs, not even my stupid book reports!"  
  
"Oh, no problem."  
  
Boy, he was sure optimistic.  
  
"But, you know... not to put any pressure on you or anything, but..." He paused, looking very uneasy.  
  
"But what?" I asked, hoping it wasn't bad.  
  
"If the music company that's watching the first performance likes what we do, we'll move to a Grand Ilandra concert."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Oh, nothing...just the biggest European event of the century." He said, his voice getting quieter by each word.  
  
No way.  
  
I looked at him in disbelief. "You're exaggerating, right?" I asked.  
  
He was quiet.  
  
"Right?" I pressed.  
  
He shook his head. "I know it's a short notice, but the Grand Ilandra concert is in five weeks."  
  
Five weeks! That was not enough time to practice and learn the basics of being a popstar! That would take years! I mean, this was the biggest event of the century! It came every one hundred years! This was H-U-G-E!  
  
I felt dizzy. "We better get to work." I said, sitting down on a seat. 


	18. Thoughts

Gordo POV  
  
He was right, but I didn't want to believe him, because I loved the feeling of Lizzie's head on my shoulder, breathing down my neck. That was probably the best moment of my life. No, actually that was when she kissed me. Yes, it was supposedly a 'friendship kiss' but I didn't want to believe that either.  
  
The worst moment ever was probably the day I saw her kissing Ronnie. Those five seconds tore my heart into pieces. Now, she had moved on to a different guy. Paolo. I was sure she liked him, but I knew there was something fishy about that guy. I just knew it! She was going to get hurt, and I couldn't stop it.  
  
I took a deep breath and sighed. I had to move on, do something other than moping over Lizzie. I flipped on the TV.  
  
"Who's the mystery girl? Is Isabella back?" I heard a news reporter say.  
  
I gasped. Lizzie was on television already! They showed her riding away on the back of Paolo's motorcycle, and when they were at the bottom of the Spanish Steps.  
  
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Sure, it was some mystery girl.  
  
What was the deal with Isabella, anyway? That was one thing that made Paolo look suspicious. Did she leave him? For what reason? Where was she? Lizzie had told me all she knew, and none of those questions were answered. Paolo was definitely hiding something.  
  
I heard a knock on the door and got up to open it. It was Danny again.  
  
"Look who's on the front cover of a magazine." He said, holding up a magazine. "It's your *girlfriend*."  
  
I gasped. He wasn't kidding.  
  
Lizzie *was* on the front cover!  
  
A/N: Sorry so short. This is probably the shortest chapter in all history. I'm going to write shorter chapters from now on, if that's okay with you guys. Next chapter, lot's of POV switches. Just a warning, it might be a little confusing. 


	19. Front Cover

Lizzie POV  
  
I walked into the hotel extremely happy. Paolo had promised to go to a fashion shoot tomorrow. He said not many people were going to be there, and I was going to pick what outfit to wear to the small concert.  
  
I rushed to Gordo's room to tell him the good news. His door was open, so I walked right in. He and Danny were reading some magazine.  
  
"Lizzie!" He exclaimed. "Here." He said, giving me a magazine face down. "Do *not*, and I repeat, NOT, turn that magazine right side up until you get back into your room."  
  
Danny pushed me out. "Buh-bye." They waved as they closed the door in my face.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Well, that went well.  
  
I obeyed Gordo's orders and kept the magazine facedown until I came into my own room. What was so exciting on the front cover?  
  
"Well, well, well. What has little Lizzie got there?" Kate, who painting her toenails, asked.  
  
I shrugged. "Don't know." I said, as if Kate was a normal person.  
  
I flipped the magazine over and gasped. Paolo and I were on the front cover of the magazine. The picture was when he kissed my hand.  
  
"Kate... come here. IMPORTANT." I managed to choke out.  
  
She sighed and came over to me. "What?" She glanced at the magazine.  
  
She gasped louder than I had.  
  
I finally found my own voice. "I'm on the front cover of a tabloid!" I exclaimed.  
  
I started squealing, with Kate along with me.  
  
This was just the beginning of my new career.  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
"Ugh! Do they have to be so noisy?" Danny exclaimed over the squealing. "They're in a different room! Then how come it's so loud in here?" I groaned, plugging my ears.  
  
Girls.  
  
***  
  
Matt POV  
  
"Whoa!" I exclaimed.  
  
"What in the world are you looking at on the internet, Matt?" Mom scolded.  
  
"Lizzie." I said, which was true.  
  
Mom looked confused and came up behind me to see what I meant.  
  
"Rome, Italy-Paolo V. and the mystery girl. Is it Isabella?" I read out loud the entire article. By the time I was done, Dad had joined us, and Mom's jaw was so wide a fly could have flew in and she wouldn't have noticed.  
  
"We've got to get over there ASAP." Mom, who was still in major shock, said.  
  
I grinned. "Lizzie's gonna be so busted!"  
  
"I'll-" Dad hesitated for a second. "I'll go get the passports." He finished, and walked out of the room.  
  
My grin just grew wider.  
  
A/N: I know I haven't been updating much, but that's why I put a whole bunch of chapters up to make up for all of the times I didn't update. 


	20. Talking to Kate and Paolo

Lizzie POV  
  
I was already on the cover of a magazine, and I had barely become famous! Life couldn't get any better.  
  
Or could it?  
  
"How come *she* gets to be on a magazine?" I heard Kate murmur under her breath.  
  
"It's not my fault." I stopped squealing.  
  
"Of course it is! You have to hang out with popstars, and me? All have is Ethan."  
  
"Correction, Kate. Not popstars, popstar. And I thought you liked Ethan."  
  
"I do... well, I did." She sat down on her bed. "But he never pays attention to anyone. He's too busy staring at some wall or something. Sure, he's cute, but... I don't think that's all I want in a guy."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Great. *Now* she backs off.  
  
"Good point." I said.  
  
"It's just that... you're dating a popstar, and I'm supposed to be the popular one here. The pretty one. Now all of a sudden, *you'll* get all the spotlight."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Looks like someone's jealous! Who would have known that Kate Saunders has feelings?  
  
"Slow down there. I'm not dating Paolo. I'm his singing partner. But... it would be amazing if we did go out." I sighed dreamily, not necessarily talking to Kate.  
  
"You know, you're not making me feel any better."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Am I supposed to?  
  
I shrugged. "It's exciting isn't it? I mean, I'm going to be famous! Me, Lizzie McGuire. That face in the crowd is going to be the one the crowd is watching! You know, that's what I wished for in the Trevi Fountain." I said, suddenly feeling like Kate was my best friend.  
  
My best friend!  
  
I had to tell Miranda!  
  
I figured that a call to Mexico would be way too much, so I e-mailed her. Yup, these hotel rooms had everything, even a computer! I told her the entire deal with Paolo.  
  
I couldn't believe it. I was finally famous!  
  
***  
  
The next morning, I woke up so early that even Kate wasn't up then. I got dressed in the most gorgeous outfit I had brought, which was this red dress. I put on tons of makeup and jewelry. I decided to curl my hair. I skipped breakfast and made a phone call to one of the chaperones telling her that I would be with Paolo. She was half-asleep and said fine. If asked her to pierce my tongue, she probably would say yes to that, too. She barely ever said no to something.  
  
I ran downstairs and to the door. Paolo was there to greet me.  
  
"Right on time." I said to him, and we started walking down the streets that were slowly becoming familiar to me.  
  
"Lizzie, there is something I've been meaning to tell you." He started.  
  
***  
  
Paolo POV  
  
Should I explain the situation to her? I decided not to. I needed to be sweeter to her before I broke the news.  
  
"Would you like to go out... on like a date?"  
  
She looked startled, and then she smiled. "Sure." She said.  
  
It was amazing how much Isabella and Lizzie looked alike. Every time she'd smile, I'd remember the smile Isabella gave me before and after every performance. I closed my eyes. I missed her. Where was she?  
  
"Uh. Paolo?" Lizzie asked me. "I said yes."  
  
"Oh, okay." I said, snapping back into reality. "How about right after we pick out your outfit?"  
  
"Sure." 


	21. Meeting Sergei

Lizzie POV  
  
I was amazed at how easily it came out. 'Sure'. Kate was right! I was dating Paolo... now.  
  
I felt a little weird. Not because of Paolo being famous, but because of Gordo.  
  
He never finished that message in my yearbook, and when I asked him what it meant, he said it was just a way of telling me that we'd be friends forever. I had the guts to ask him if he liked me, and he said 'only as a friend'. I knew he meant it. Kate was lying about Gordo liking me. And when I kissed him on the cheek, I said it was a 'friendship kiss'. But why had I really done it? It was because I thought Gordo liked me, but it turned out he didn't.  
  
Then why did I feel a little tiny pang of... guilt?  
  
I shook the thought out of my mind and Paolo and I walked most of the way in silence.  
  
"So, what exactly are we doing here?" I asked.  
  
"We'll find you the perfect outfit for the smaller concert." He said as we entered another run-down building.  
  
"I always thought that dance studios and stuff were in big, fancy buildings."  
  
"Well, usually they are. But we don't want anyone knowing about us and where we are." He replied.  
  
"Oh."  
  
I smiled as we walked into the room. There were about fifteen people there, and most were sitting in fancy-looking chairs. The entire room was painted white, and there were lots of big windows behind the stage. I recognized the clothes everyone was wearing. They were worth a fortune! I felt so odd standing there in my $20 dress, when a guy in the audience was wearing shoes worth $900.  
  
"Oh, look, they're here!" A business-like looking man said. "Paolo! Lizzie!"  
  
How did that guy know my name? I started to panic, and then calmed down. Everyone in Europe knew my name. It was just another part of being famous.  
  
"I'm your manager, Sergei Libretti."  
  
Oh! So this guy was my manager!  
  
"And I'm Lizzie McGuire." I said.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Great answer! What are you going to say next, 'what's you're name, Sergei?' Say something else.  
  
"I-" I started, but Sergei cut me off.  
  
"What's your size, Lizzie?"  
  
"14-16." I said.  
  
"Perfect! Now, slip on that dress in that dressing room." He pointed to a door.  
  
Boy, this guy meant business.  
  
"Now!"  
  
"Is he always like this?" I whispered to Paolo.  
  
"Nah, sometimes he's mean." 


	22. Weird Outfits

Lizzie POV I grabbed the dress, not really looking at it, and disappeared into the dressing room. I gasped. It was... weird. Not amazing, but weird. It looked like an igloo. There were black rectangles that symbolized bricks, and the sleeves were tight, but at the end, they got humongous. There was a hood. The end of the sleeves and hood were fur. The bottom of the dress was huge! It totally puffed up. There was wire supporting it so it would be puffy. There was a little arch at the puffy part so it would look like the entrance to the igloo.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Where on earth would you find a dress like this?  
  
It took me forever to put on. When I tried to get through the doorway, it got stuck because it was so puffed up.  
  
But when I came out, people started snapping pictures like crazy.  
  
"Don't worry; none of this is the press." Paolo whispered. "Get up onto the stage."  
  
I got up, but it felt weird, walking in such an odd dress.  
  
In the next two hours, I was running in and out of the dressing room, and up and down the runway. Boy, the costumes were bizarre. One was a yellow one that looked sort of like a lopsided pineapple, and one was a whole bunch of lights with a crown made out of lights. One had a newspaper for a hat!  
  
My last dress looked somewhat wearable. It was black, and the only hard thing about it was that it kept my legs together so I couldn't walk very well. I felt like a mummy! Maybe because that's what it looked like. It was like I was bandaged up! I hobbled onto the runway, and then the 'bandage' got stuck. The bottom of the dress unwrapped. I tried to fix it by rolling back into it, but it tore.  
  
I fell off the stage.  
  
Everyone gasped and helped me up. "Are you okay?" Paolo looked very concerned. I smiled. Were all guys so worried when I fell? I mean, Gordo and Paolo looked so scared every time I fell. I wasn't made out of glass!  
  
I sighed. "Yeah."  
  
I frowned at my dress. This stuff was nutso! I hoped they'd let me pick out something normal for the concert. I went back into the dressing room to change, and I decided not to wear the red dress I had worn on the way here. I had brought an extra outfit, jeans, a pink shirt, and a denim jacket. I could save the dress for later. I stuffed it into my purse.  
  
"So, which one did you like the best?" Paolo asked.  
  
"To tell you the truth, none of them." I made a face.  
  
"Ooookay, then. Then how would you like to go shopping?"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Now you're speaking my language!  
  
I grinned mischievously. "You have no idea of what you're getting yourself into." 


	23. The Date

"Not now." He said. "Tomorrow."  
  
"Why?" I whined.  
  
"Because we have a date."  
  
I smiled. I almost forgot. Almost.  
  
We went outside and started walking. It was hot, so I took off my jacket of and held it. Then suddenly, cameras swarmed around us like a bunch of bees. We pushed our way through the crowd and he ran into an alley. I had no idea where we were going; I was trusting Paolo on this one.  
  
And in the alley, was Paolo's motorcycle!  
  
"Get on!" He said.  
  
I had already tried dating someone famous, Frankie, and it didn't work. I was determined to make it work this time, so I got on, even though I felt a little sick.  
  
We drove all over the city, and then he stopped at a building that looked really ancient.  
  
I took off my helmet and got off. I climbed up the step, Paolo right behind me. Then we were at the top of the stone building. The only ones there. You could see an amazing view of Rome. It was so romantic!  
  
"Wow. This is an amazing place."  
  
"Well, I wanted to bring you here." He looked deeply into my eyes again. "You know, there's a party tonight. I was invited, and I was hoping you'd be my guest."  
  
I batted my eyelashes at him. "Maybe." I said playfully.  
  
He moved closer to me. "Please?" He asked with his sweet accent.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Bring four people that you know, so I won't be the only one. Just come!"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh, I will.  
  
I smiled. "Okay." I said. "Four people."  
  
He nodded. "Four people. That's it. No more."  
  
I thought of who I would invite. Gordo, Danny, Kate... KATE? What? Well, she was being nice lately, so... maybe. Who would be the fourth person? Brooke? I decided that was it.  
  
"See you there...I mean, here." I said.  
  
"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Lizzie." He rolled his eyes. "I'll pick you up at 7 on my motorcycle."  
  
I nodded.  
  
"So, is this a date?" I asked all of a sudden, fearing the answer.  
  
"Well, I'd say so. The wind in our hair, the sun shining, alone..."  
  
I cut him off. "Does that make us boyfriend and girlfriend?" I whispered.  
  
He smiled. "Yeah, I guess it does."  
  
Animated Lizzie: He likes me! He really, really likes me!  
  
"Good." 


	24. Abandoned

A/N: I think the idea of Lizzie and Kate being friends is sort of crazy, so please don't hope for that. They're going to be nicer to each other, but they're not really going to be friends. Oh, and it's so great that I have fans out there! I have always wanted fans! I got 27 reviews in a day! Doesn't that rock? Oh, and if you review, send me the name of your fanfics! I want to read them!  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I was bored. Today's tour was boring without Lizzie there. I missed her. It seemed like Paolo was taking over her life! I rolled my eyes.  
  
Then I heard a knock on my door.  
  
"It's open!" Danny shouted.  
  
Lizzie stepped in. "Hey, you guys, wanna come to a party?" She asked.  
  
"We're not allowed to have parties in our hotel rooms, remember?" I pointed out.  
  
"Not *here*." She said, as if it was the craziest thing she'd ever heard of. "Paolo got invited to a party, and he said I could invite some people so I wouldn't be lonely. It's at 7 tonight. So want to come?"  
  
"Are we going to be picked up in a limo?" Danny asked.  
  
"You'll have to walk; Paolo's driving me on the back of his motorcycle. But there'll be movie stars and singers and-"  
  
Danny's eyes widened. "Oh, man, I gotta go! I might meet a hot babe there."  
  
"-and food."  
  
It was my turn to be surprised. "Food? Oh, well, I'm in." I said quickly.  
  
"Cool. Now all I have to do is ask Brooke and Kate."  
  
"Kate?!" I was shocked.  
  
She sighed. "Long story."  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
Brooke had said she'd come, and Kate was thrilled to be asked. And by then it was six o'clock, when me and Kate were getting ready.  
  
I put on my red dress. "What necklace looks better?" I asked, facing Kate. "The red or the black?"  
  
"Red." She said, putting on a blue prom dress.  
  
"You're right."  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
I rolled my eyes. Kate would be a nice person if she wasn't so over- confident.  
  
I was tingling. This party was my first official social event as a popstar! It was a huge deal. So, for the next 45 minutes, I made sure my makeup was right, my jewelry matched my outfit, my nail polish wasn't chipped, stuff like that.  
  
"Uh, Lizzie? It's time to go." Kate said, pointing to the clock.  
  
"Oh!" I exclaimed, grabbing my coat and heading out the door. We hurried downstairs to the door and met Gordo and Danny there. As he had promised, Paolo was there.  
  
"Hey, you guys!" He waved. "Lizzie, come on!"  
  
I steeped outside ad got on his motorcycle, leaving my friends staring after me. 


	25. A Romantic Night

Gordo POV  
  
Lizzie had just... left us there. She ditched us. I shook my head.  
  
"Come on, we don't want to be late." I said. "Let's go!"  
  
"Yeah, your *girlfriend* is waiting for us!" Danny exclaimed sarcastically, bursting out in laughter. Kate joined in.  
  
We headed outside. "GUYS!" I cried.  
  
"Look at that! Look how red he is!" Danny pointed at my face, still laughing.  
  
Kate clutched her stomach, doubling over in giggles.  
  
"Am I missing something here?" Brooke, who was clearly confused, spoke up.  
  
"Gor-dork's *girlfriend* just abandoned us!" Kate managed to say.  
  
Her face lit up. "You mean-?"  
  
I nodded silently.  
  
She burst out in laughter, too.  
  
What the heck was so funny?  
  
I clamed down and shook my head. My skin color returned to normal. "Whatever." I said.  
  
We walked to the address that Lizzie had told us.  
  
"Whoa!" I heard Brooke exclaim.  
  
'Whoa' was right. It was marvelous! It was a million-year-old stone building, but it looked totally modern with all of the lights and decorations. It was so crowded that it seemed like all of Rome was there.  
  
"One thing, you guys." Kate said.  
  
"What?" We asked in unison.  
  
"How are we going to find Lizzie here?"  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
"Hey, there are going to be fireworks soon." Paolo said.  
  
I giggled. "Really? You never said anything about fireworks."  
  
"I didn't know until now."  
  
It had been about twenty minutes there. Paolo and I were having the greatest time. We danced, and ate, and got our pictures taken.  
  
"Lizzie?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you mind if you dye your hair black? I mean, that was Isabella's hair color, and I was wondering...so can you do it?"  
  
I was surprised. It was such a weird question. Dye my hair? I mean, where did that subject pop up from? But, hey, I'd do anything to make Paolo like me.  
  
"I could, I guess. But not permanently. Like, maybe for our concert and stuff..." I trailed off.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Did I really say that? *Our* concerts? As in concerts, plural? As in, we're going to be together forever?  
  
He didn't say anything. He was staring at me. I totally freaked me out. There was a dreamy look on his face, that looked so cute, but he didn't blink.  
  
"Uh, Paolo?" I said, tilting my head. "You okay?"  
  
"W-what? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." He said.  
  
Now where I had I hard that before?  
  
I realized it right away. Gordo acted like that all the time! Like he was focused on something else. I thought it was just pressure on something, but I guessed it was something going on with all guys.  
  
"Oh, look the fireworks are starting!" He said before I could say anything.  
  
We rushed over to the ledge that we'd been looking down earlier that afternoon. It seemed so familiar. I knew it right away. Rome was where I belonged.  
  
I first saw a red rocket-like firework fly up into the sky and explode into a million little shimmering stars. Then a blue one came up, along with a gold one, and they exploded at the same time, leaving me stunned.  
  
"It's so beautiful." I whispered, glancing at Paolo to see what he'd say.  
  
"Yes, you are." His hand reached for mine, and he held it softly.  
  
I would have fainted right there, right then, but something stopped me. Paolo leaned in forward, and I suddenly knew what he was doing. I closed my eyes and leaned forward, too.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh, my gosh! Is this really happening to me?  
  
A rainbow of fireworks exploded as we shared our first kiss. 


	26. The Party Ends

Gordo POV  
  
I gasped. I saw Lizzie and Paolo, right next to each other, kissing. In front of the fireworks! In public!  
  
I didn't know what to do. I had no choice. I looked down at my shoes and bit my lip. I couldn't take any more of this. Lizzie was flirting with Paolo one day, and the next day, they're kissing? Paolo was using her. He was using her big time. But she was too wrapped up around his finger to notice.  
  
I closed my eyes and headed outside. I trudged my way back to the hotel. In the dark. Alone.  
  
Even Rome, the most gorgeous city I had ever seen, was miserable looking at night. The air was till, and not much was moving. It wasn't that late. It was around nine. But it seemed as if the whole city had shut down. Or maybe it was just my imagination.  
  
I couldn't admit I was jealous. Jealousy didn't even begin to cover what I was going through.  
  
What I had seen had hurt me.  
  
And I felt as if no one cared.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
It wasn't long, not short, not sloppy, not dry. Just the right amount of everything. I pulled away, taken aback.  
  
"Oh my..." I started breathing heavily.  
  
Animated Lizzie: What have I just done?  
  
"I-" We both started.  
  
"You-"  
  
"You go first." I said.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Lizzie." Paolo apologized.  
  
"What's there to be sorry about? I liked it."  
  
"It's not that..."He pointed behind me.  
  
I turned my head and sighed. Yup, there was the good ol' paparazzi, taking photos and scribbling notes.  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Let's go." I insisted.  
  
He nodded and we, once again, pushed our way through the crowd.  
  
"Go tell your friends." He said.  
  
"Brooke! Kate! Danny! Gordo!" I yelled, and started searching for them.  
  
Five minutes later, I had gathered Kate, Brooke, and Danny... but no sign of Gordo.  
  
"Where did you last see him?" I asked.  
  
"Oh, I saw him leave a while ago. Something about 'too much press'." Danny said, clearly lying, but I believed him.  
  
I sighed. "I should have known. Gordo *hates* the media. But he could have at least told us."  
  
The three shrugged.  
  
"Well, bye Lizzie." Paolo whispered.  
  
I smiled. "See you."  
  
He got on his motorcycle and rode away, and the four of us walked home in silence. 


	27. Return to the Trevi Fountain

A/N: I just now noticed that the movie is probably going to be nothing like this. And I don't know if I should continue, because I'm definitely running out of ideas and this is much longer than I expected. Maybe I'll write longer chapters. But, hey, here's a tip. If you don't want to stay on the internet for such a long time reading my story, all you do is open up Microsoft word or something. Then copy and paste all the chapters on. I do it a lot and it's really easier to read. Review and rate this story on a scale of 1-10. Tell me if you like long stories or short stories better. And tell me if you prefer long or short chapters. I still need ideas!!! I really love writing this fanfic, it's a way to make me stand waiting until the real movie comes out, and I would hate to quit adding more. Okay now, on with the story that's heading nowhere...  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I heard a knock on my door again around ten P.M. It was Lizzie.  
  
"Before visiting time is over, I just wanted to ask you something." Was the first thing she said.  
  
"Uh, you guys go ahead. I'll be... in the bathroom." Danny sputtered.  
  
I smiled as he disappeared.  
  
"So? What's up?"  
  
"What's up is why did you leave without telling me?" She said, looking hurt.  
  
"I couldn't find you anywhere." I lied.  
  
"Why'd you leave, anyway?"  
  
"I couldn't take all of the media coverage there."  
  
I felt bad for lying so much to her, but what else could I say? I left because I was jealous of her and Paolo kissing? I mean, really. Lying seemed like the only way out, even if it seemed so wrong.  
  
"Are you sure?" She looked deeply into my eyes.  
  
I couldn't stand it. Those hazel eyes were so trusting. She was counting on me to tell her the truth.  
  
"Positive." I mumbled, staring at the floor.  
  
"Okay." She got up and left.  
  
I sighed deeply.  
  
What a day.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
The next morning, I woke up sort of late. Seven o'clock. I got dressed hurriedly, ate a banana, and headed downstairs. Paolo was waiting for me.  
  
"Ready to go shopping?" He asked.  
  
"Oh, am I ever!" I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.  
  
We stepped out of the hotel. Rome looked so amazing at this time of day. Not many people on the streets, faint chatter coming from the little cafés, the sun peeking through the buildings, making bright shadows down alleys.  
  
"Wow." I said.  
  
"It's not that amazing."  
  
"Oh, trust me, this is cool."  
  
"Well, if you'd grown up here, you'd be used to this."  
  
I rolled my eyes and got on his motorcycle. We drove for a while. Then he stopped at a familiar place.  
  
"Trevi Fountain? Why did we stop here?" I asked.  
  
"We stopped here because... because I wanted to." He answered simply.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Like *that's* an answer. Mom would never take that as an answer.  
  
"It's amazing, Paolo. I mean, I wished to be famous right here, and look at me now. This thing totally works." I smiled brightly.  
  
"Well, did you know that there's another legend about the Trevi Fountain?" He asked.  
  
"No, I didn't. What is it?"  
  
"It says that anyone who tosses a coin into the fountain will come back to Rome someday." Paolo said.  
  
"So that means I'll come back!" I exclaimed.  
  
He nodded.  
  
Then suddenly, a fancy black convertible drove up to us.  
  
"This," He said. "Is your new car. Now, how about that shopping?"  
  
I grinned. "Goodbye Lizzie McGuire, hello fabulous!" I exclaimed. 


	28. Why Not

A/N: Thanks to Juicyfied (hilary-duff.org) for the lyrics to 'Why Not'!  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
I rushed into a store. I didn't even read the name. I just ran in, because I saw this totally cute outfit in the window. I sprinted to the outfit and checked the price tag. My shoulders slumped.  
  
(A/N: I don't know what their form of money is in Rome, so I'll just put this is American dollars.) "$3,500?" I shook my head at Paolo. "What's the budget for my clothes?' I asked.  
  
"Budget? What's a budget?" He joked. "Don't worry, no budget. You want the outfit? Charge it."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Now, this is what I'm talking about!  
  
"Are you serious?" I squealed.  
  
He gave me a 'duh' look. I grabbed his card and ran to the cash register. "I'd like to buy that outfit in the window." I said, hoping the guy spoke English.  
  
The cashier's eyes widened. "Are you Isabella?" He gasped.  
  
I glanced at Paolo nervously. What was I supposed to say to that? He gave me a shrug. I sighed.  
  
"Who's Isabella?" I asked, as if I'd never heard of the name.  
  
"Never mind." The guy's voice returned to normal. "Size?"  
  
"14-16." I said. I knew I'd be asked that question a lot here.  
  
He went into a storage room and came out with a box. "Do you have any idea how much this costs?" He said.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Uh, no duh!  
  
"I do, in fact." I said, rolling my eyes, handing him the card. Paolo signed, and we were on our way.  
  
I tossed the bag into the convertible, and then climbed into the back. We shopped for hours, and soon the car couldn't hold all of the clothes and accessories. I was smiling like crazy. It was incredible! I mean, imagine it, getting everything you want, no matter what! "I, uh, think that's enough shopping for today." Paolo said after lunch.  
  
I made a face. "Fine. What next?"  
  
"Well, let's see. You got dancing lessons, but you still need to learn the dance for the performance. Clothes are done. All you need to learn is how to walk, how to smile, how to eat, how to handle press, the songs for the concert, and most important of all... how to sing."  
  
"How can I learn how to sing if you refused to help?" I asked.  
  
"Just practice." He advised.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Anywhere."  
  
"Anywhere?"  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
"Here?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
I shook my head uncertainly. "Not here. Anyways, what would sing?"  
  
He unfolded a piece a paper that was in his pocket, and asked the driver to put in a CD. "Sing." He demanded.  
  
The music started, and I started to sing.  
  
"You think you're going nowhere  
  
When you're walking down the street  
  
Acting like you just don't care  
  
When life could be so sweet  
  
But why you wanna be like that?  
  
As if there's nothing new  
  
You're not fooling no one  
  
You're not even fooling you  
  
So walk a little slower  
  
And open up your eyes  
  
Sometimes it's so hard to see  
  
The good things passing by  
  
There may never be a sign  
  
No flashing neon light  
  
Telling you to make your move  
  
When the time is right  
  
So  
  
Why not (Why not)  
  
Take a crazy chance  
  
Why not (Why not)  
  
Do a crazy dance  
  
If you lose the moment  
  
You might lose a lot  
  
So why not? Why not?  
  
(Why not take a crazy chance)  
  
(Why not take a crazy chance)  
  
You always dress in yellow  
  
When you wanna dress in gold  
  
Instead of listening to your heart  
  
You do just what you're told  
  
You keep waiting where you are  
  
But what you'll never know  
  
Let's just get into your car  
  
And go, baby, go!  
  
So  
  
Why not (Why not)  
  
Take a crazy chance  
  
Why not (Why not)  
  
Do a crazy dance  
  
If you lose the moment  
  
You might lose a lot  
  
So why not?  
  
Why not?  
  
Ohhh~  
  
I could be the one for you  
  
Ohhh~ Yeah~  
  
Maybe yes, maybe no  
  
Ohhh~  
  
It could be the thing to do  
  
What I'm saying is you gotta let me know  
  
You'll never get to heaven  
  
Or even to a L.A.  
  
If you don't believe there's a way~  
  
Why not (why not)  
  
Take a star from the sky  
  
Why not (why not)  
  
Spread your wings and fly  
  
It might take a little  
  
And it might take a lot  
  
But why not?  
  
Why not?  
  
Why not (take a crazy chance)  
  
Take a crazy chance  
  
Why not (do a crazy dance)  
  
Do a crazy dance  
  
If you lose the moment  
  
You might lose a lot  
  
So why not?  
  
Why not?"  
  
Paolo gasped. "Whoa, you are good. Great, in fact. Outstanding." He said.  
  
"Surprisingly, you're right." I said quietly, in total shock.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Maybe I don't need singing lessons after all. 


	29. Depressed

Paolo POV  
  
She was dazzling. Amazing. Marvelous.  
  
And she was better that Isabella.  
  
It was hard to admit, but Lizzie McGuire was a much better singer than Isabella. I felt so awkward around her. I felt guilty. Yesterday, I was kissing her. Just to make myself happy. And she really thought I liked her, which I did, but not in the way she thought. It seemed so selfish not to tell why I was doing this... and yet right. I shook the thought away and snapped back into the present.  
  
"You know, I think we can cross one more thing off of our list." I pointed out.  
  
She giggled. "I had no idea I was so good. I guess in a car there's nothing to trip over. And, thank you so much for the convertible ride. It's so great feeling the wind in my hair."  
  
"I'm glad you like it." I said.  
  
The car came to the stop. "Is the right hotel?" The driver, Hans, asked.  
  
She nodded and jumped out. "Take care of my clothes, Paolo! And we're picking out what to wear tomorrow, right?"  
  
I nodded, too. "Ciao!" I called as the car started.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
"Isn't that so cool!?" I asked Gordo.  
  
We were now on another tour. We were having a lunch break at an outdoor restaurant, but since I had eaten with Paolo earlier, I was just talking.  
  
"Yeah." He said. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. There was a totally neutral expression on his face.  
  
"And then if they like the small concert, we get to move on to the Grand Ilandra!" I exclaimed.  
  
"Lizzie, I know. It's all you've been talking about for the past three days!" He said, sipping his lemonade.  
  
I bit my lower lip. "Sorry." I apologized.  
  
"Don't be. I'm just having an off-day."  
  
"I hate those." I said considerately. "But everyone has them."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." He picked up his tray and threw the trash away.  
  
I wondered what ticked him off.  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
All I could think of was that one kiss the other night. It replayed in my mind over and over. I was dropping so many hints. Wasn't it working? I broke me up inside to see it once, but to have the moment get stuck in my head was so depressing.  
  
I had been like this all day. Crabby, rude, ignorant. Soon everybody would think I was related to Ebenezer Scrooge or something. I ignored everything. I wondered why I was torturing myself this way.  
  
But nothing could describe how I had felt when I was searching for her, and I see her kissing Paolo passionately. I mean, with Ronny it wasn't as bad, I didn't like her as much then. But his was-bad. Dreadful.  
  
Why did this keep happening to me?  
  
And to make my day even worse, Danny slid in the seat from across from me.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that the guy who asked her out was famous? You'd get totally different advice for something like that."  
  
"Yeah." I said.  
  
"Look, I know you're busy sulking, but do you have just a few minutes to spare? Just be normal for three minutes." Danny said.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"I-oh... um... I forgot. I'll get back with you. And remember, you owe me three minutes." Danny stood up.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
So, that's what they call depression. 


	30. Paolo Tells All

A/N: Okay, I calculated some stuff and I figured that this is going to be around 45 chapters. I know, it's going to take a long time. And if I see the movie before I finish this, I'll still write what I think the ending would have been like. Ciao.  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
Gordo was acting so weird. I wondered what was wrong. I tried to think of all the things that had gone wrong in the past couple of days. It seemed like... none. Nothing went wrong. Everything was perfect.  
  
So what got him so ticked off that all he could say was 'yeah' and 'whatever'?  
  
I didn't have time to think about this. I was extremely tired.  
  
I closed my eyes, snuggled under the covers, and went to sleep.  
  
***  
  
"This one! No, this one!" I said, pointing to outfits that Paolo and I had laid out. "Yeah. I think that one looks best. Go try it on." He said, handing me it. I ran into his bathroom and slipped it on.  
  
It was the next day, and I was in Paolo's house, picking out my outfit for the small concert.  
  
I ran out of the bathroom. "Ta-da!"  
  
"No... That's more Grand Ilandra type. To fancy. But you look gorgeous in it." He winked.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Didn't see that one coming.  
  
"Really?" I asked.  
  
***  
  
Paolo POV  
  
This was it. I could not go on any further. I couldn't keep lying to her. I had to tell her the truth... and hope that she understands.  
  
"Lizzie, I have to tell you something."  
  
"What?"  
  
I took a deep breath. "Okay, how do I say this...? I'm using you. Don't take it the wrong way. See, Isabella was my girlfriend as well as my singing partner, and we signed a contract for four years. If we broke the contract, we'd get sued. It had only been two years, and then we had a fight, and she disappeared. To hide that, I told the world that we were on a little vacation. But after two-month 'vacation', everyone started to get curious. That's when I saw you. I knew that if everyone else believed that you were Isabella, Isabella and I wouldn't get sued for breaking the contract. So I used you. I'm sorry." I exhaled loudly. "Oh, I feel so much better now."  
  
Lizzie was silent, and she was staring at me with wide eyes.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
"You mean to say that you don't like me?" I asked.  
  
"I like you, Lizzie. But only as a friend, because I still love Isabella. I'm so sorry for leading you on." He looked down at his shoes.  
  
I was shocked. He didn't like me!  
  
"It's okay. And you know what?" I said, gathering up all the confidence I could. "I'll be your temporary signing partner... until Isabella shows up."  
  
His eyes widened. "Really?"  
  
I nodded. "Anything to help a friend." I shrugged.  
  
But inside, my heart was breaking.  
  
I ran out as a tear slid down my cheek and dropped onto my brand-new outfit.  
  
"Lizzie!" Paolo called after me.  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
"...so he doesn't like me. And all this time I thought he did." She cried.  
  
"Lizzie." I insisted. "Stop."  
  
I felt sorry for her, I really did. I mean, here she was in my hotel room, crying. I couldn't stand to see her cry. But really, I felt like jumping for joy. Paolo had dumped her.  
  
"Gordo, I'm sorry. You really shouldn't be hearing this. You didn't do anything do deserve me sulking around like this. You must be bored out of your mind." She sniffled.  
  
I handed her a tissue. "You know, I'm glad you came to me. It seemed as if you had forgotten your low-key best friend. But I'm happy to see I'm the first one you told."  
  
She smiled. "I didn't forget about you. I just was so caught up in Paolo that I-didn't care about anyone else. I'm sorry for that. Well," She said, getting up. "I better go."  
  
"See you."  
  
She started to walk out the door, and tripped.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
Lizzie rolled her eyes. "I'm fine." 


	31. Fun With the Unexpected

Lizzie POV  
  
It was the next day, and Gordo and I were stuffing breakfast into our mouths. After a lot of tossing and turning the other night, I had made a decision.  
  
"I'm over him, Gordo. You won't have to hear me mope about him endlessly now. Happy?" I said.  
  
"Yeah, but what about the small concert?" He asked.  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"Well, since you're mad at him-" I cut him off.  
  
"I'm not mad at him. We're friends. End of story. Subject change, please."  
  
Animated Lizzie: That was sort of harsh. Oops!  
  
His shoulders slumped. "Sorry." He mumbled.  
  
"So, what do you want to do?" I said, taking a bite out of a chocolate- filled donut. "It's another free, boring day."  
  
I hoped to do something that would take my mind off Paolo for a while.  
  
Gordo grinned. "I brought my CD player here."  
  
I didn't get it. "I'm listening."  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
"I mean, like we can sing along. Well, you can. It'll be like practice." I said simply.  
  
"Practice... for what?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. How hard was this to understand? "For when you're on stage."  
  
"Oh!"  
  
I threw away my tray, and Lizzie threw away hers. We ran to the elevator and got in.  
  
"Why can't we use the stairs?" She asked as I punched in the number 2.  
  
"You might fall." I started laughing.  
  
Her jaw dropped. "That's not nice! You act like I fall all the time!"  
  
"You do." I tried to stop laughing, but didn't succeed.  
  
"Take that back!"  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"Augh! I'm going get you!" She said, about to pounce on me.  
  
Thankfully, the elevator doors opened, I scrambled out, and Lizzie started chasing me. I started sprinting down the hallway, and opened my hotel room door. I almost shut it, but Lizzie stuck her foot in the way.  
  
"Let me in!" I screamed.  
  
A couple doors opened. "SHHHHH!" They all said once.  
  
I let her in, and she started giggling.  
  
"What?" I asked, collapsing onto my bed.  
  
She picked up a pillow and started pounding me with it. "Quit it!" I begged.  
  
"Take it back!"  
  
"Okay, okay."  
  
She stopped. It took a while to catch my breath.  
  
"Whew. Lizzie, you could seriously kill someone like that." I said solemnly.  
  
She bit her lip worriedly. "Sorry. Did I hurt you?" She asked.  
  
I grabbed a pillow and started beating her with it.  
  
She started giggling. "I'll take that as a no." She took another pillow and hit me with it.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
I hadn't had so much fun since... forever. It felt so good, smacking Gordo with a pillow, and seeing feathers float down. I loved running back and forth, jumping on the bed, racing around, trying not to get hit by Gordo's pillow. I felt like I was three again.  
  
Gordo jumped onto Danny's bed. "Try and get me now!" He yelled.  
  
By the time I had climbed onto the bed, he had jumped off.  
  
"Aargh!" I shrieked. Then he disappeared. "Huh? Where'd you go?"  
  
Then I felt him behind me, pounding as hard as he could. Feathers flew everywhere.  
  
"Gordo!" I cried. "I'm going to get you for that!"  
  
Then suddenly, the door opened. Danny stepped in.  
  
We froze.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Uh-oh.  
  
"Uh, hey guys. Um..." Danny licked his lips.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Um..."  
  
We were all speechless. That left an awkward silence in the air. "I just came here for this." He dug under a couple of bed sheets that were on the floor, and pulled out a magazine. "Yeah. Um... see ya." He left.  
  
I covered my mouth with my hand. "This place is a mess." I said.  
  
Gordo shrugged. "Who cares?"  
  
I smiled. "Not me."  
  
We left the room, leaving it with feathers floating in the air, the beds messed up, and everything else on the floor. 


	32. Singing in the Sunshine

Gordo POV  
  
"So, where to?" I asked Lizzie in the hallway.  
  
It was amazing. I had such I great time with Lizzie, and not once did I feel depressed. Not for one second did I think about how she was never going to be my girlfriend. All I thought about was how she was my best friend, and how I hoped it'd stay that way forever.  
  
"Well, I heard that we are allowed to go up to the roof with permission." Lizzie said.  
  
"Let's go get permission, then."  
  
"Okay."  
  
We went to Mrs. Gable, the chaperone that said yes to everything. Of course, she said yes and gave us a key. We bounded up the stairs.  
  
"Here's the door." I unlocked it, and stepped onto the roof of the hotel.  
  
She gasped. "Whoa. It's so pretty."  
  
The sun was shining brightly, and it reflected Lizzie's eyes. I couldn't help but stare.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"Nothing. I was just spacing out. You're right, it's really pretty." I said. "So, I can't believe I haven't heard you sing yet."  
  
"Neither has most of the world."  
  
"But I've known you forever. The rest of the world hasn't." I sighed. "Sing for me?"  
  
She shook her head. "No way!"  
  
"Please?" I put on my sad face. I knew she had to give in. "For your best friend?"  
  
"Fine. But don't laugh, okay?"  
  
"I won't."  
  
She took out a crumpled sheet of paper and started singing 'Why Not'. When she stopped, my eyes were bulging.  
  
"Lizzie-you-you have talent." Was all I could manage to say.  
  
"Thanks. This is the only song Paolo's given me. I have to memorize it. I don't know if I can do that."  
  
"Trust me, you can. That's no big. But Lizzie... you have the most beautiful voice I have ever heard." I said. Then I winced. I really didn't mean for it to come out like that.  
  
"Uh... thanks." She sounded a little shocked.  
  
"I mean, it's so cool. You had it in you the whole time. You could have been a singer years ago!"  
  
She nodded. "I really love this job."  
  
I smiled. None of us spoke for a couple of minutes. We were both thinking. I was thinking about how I had thought I'd lose Lizzie. But now I knew that we such good friends that not even a popstar career could tear us apart.  
  
I still had a hard time accepting that Lizzie could never be my girlfriend. It was sinking in, slowly. But part of me didn't want to accept it. Part of me wanted to keep moping over Lizzie until I got her. I erased the thought and smiled at Lizzie.  
  
"So, this is fun." I said.  
  
"Mmm-hmm. Um, Gordo?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
She took a deep breath. "Thanks."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For being my best friend." 


	33. Media Mayhem

Lizzie POV  
  
"Oh, my gosh!" I exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Gordo rushed over to my side.  
  
"There." I pointed straight. "Paolo and Isabella."  
  
Gordo's jaw dropped and his eyebrows shot up. "You know, everyone's right. You two are totally identical. I couldn't tell the difference."  
  
"I can tell why Paolo likes her so much." I sighed. "She's so pretty." My shoulders slumped.  
  
"I know you are."  
  
My head snapped up.  
  
Animated Lizzie: What did he just say!?  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I winced the moment I said it. It had just slipped out.  
  
"I mean..." I searched my brain for all the excuses I could. "You two are identical. If Isabella's pretty, then so are you. So there. If Paolo likes Isabella more than you, it's not because she's prettier." I took a shaky breath, hoping she'd believed me.  
  
She smiled. "I guess. You know, I feel like going for a walk. Wanna come?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
We started to walk downstairs, to the seventh floor. Then we took the elevator to the bottom floor. We walked outside.  
  
"Rome's really wonderful, isn't it?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, it is." I said, noticing that there was some tension in between us.  
  
I didn't feel free to say whatever I wanted, unlike when we having the pillow fight. Then I felt like I could tell Lizzie everything. Now, I felt as if everything I said was going to turn against me. Maybe it was because we were out in public. I didn't know.  
  
"Isabella!" Someone yelled. A herd of people ran toward us.  
  
"Run!" She whispered to me.  
  
I closed one eye and started to run as hard as I could.  
  
"Isabella, are you and Paolo back together?" A reporter asked, shoving a microphone in Lizzie's face.  
  
She played it cool. "No comment." She said, and scurried away.  
  
"Lizzie!" I shouted. I had lost her in the crowd. People were flashing cameras, writing stuff down.  
  
"Is 'Lizzie' a nickname for Isabella?" Another reporter asked.  
  
"Yes!" Lizzie said, sounding exasperated. "Gordo! Where are you?" She yelled.  
  
I saw Lizzie's hand reaching out through the crowd. I grabbed it. She pulled me forward, and we ran as fast as our legs could carry us. We finally got to the hotel and slammed the door.  
  
"Oh, my gosh." I said as I pressed against the door. "Now I knew how Matt felt after he was on that Uncle Wendell show."  
  
"Oh, please don't remind me about that." Lizzie stared breathing deeply. "Whew! The crowd really loves Isabella, huh?"  
  
"You can say that again."  
  
"So, what should we do now?"  
  
"Well, we definitely can rule out going outside."  
  
She giggled. "I guess we can... uh-oh."  
  
We heard banging from the other side of the doors. They were glass, so of course everyone saw through it. Lizzie opened a door.  
  
"Hey. Look, I'm really busy right now. Maybe we'll meet again."  
  
"Hopefully not." I whispered under my breath.  
  
No one listened. They pulled Lizzie outside and shut the door. I watched from the other side, and then slipped out.  
  
"Gordo! Help!" She said.  
  
"Who's this Gordo? Paolo's friend? Someone in the business?"  
  
"Do you think you'll get into the Grand Ilandra?"  
  
I could hear yelling from all over.  
  
She happily answered questions, but she seemed miserable. I once again grabbed her hand and pulled her into the hotel. We bounded up the stairs and into her room. When we were in, she locked the door in every way possible.  
  
She sighed.  
  
"What is *he* doing here?" Kate asked.  
  
"Press. Cameras. Reporters." I managed to say, while I was catching my breath.  
  
"Ooh." Kate said sarcastically. "I guess everything has a downside."  
  
"Yeah. I guess it does." Lizzie collapsed onto her bed. 


	34. Preparing

Lizzie POV  
  
"Seven days!" I exclaimed the next afternoon right after lunch. "Just a week until the small concert. I have to learn two songs, pick out an outfit... augh! I can't keep track of what to do anymore!"  
  
"Wow." Kate said mockingly. "Who knew being a star would be so *hard*?"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Well, seems like catty old Kate is back.  
  
"You try being famous for once. Always running. People counting on you to do the right thing at the right time." I slumped off my bed.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Well, I got to call Paolo. I haven't talked to him for two days." I picked up the phone and dialed his number.  
  
"It's me." I said before he could even speak.  
  
"Lizzie? Look, I'm so sorry for before. I didn't mean to offend you the other day. I just could bear to see you so happy after I'd lied to you." He apologized.  
  
"It's okay, really. I understand why you did what you did." I said.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Not really, but it seemed like the right thing to say.  
  
"Oh, good."  
  
"The reason I called you was because the concert's in a week. I have to learn two other songs. And I have to pick out my outfit. And how to dance. The other stuff doesn't seem as important."  
  
"Okay, go to the dance studio I showed you earlier. I'll meet you there in an hour." We both hung up.  
  
***  
  
When I got there, Paolo showed me a dance. It wasn't complicated to memorize, it was just hard to do. But I got it down after a couple of hours. No tripping! When we stopped, Paolo took out some papers.  
  
"Here are your other songs." He handed the papers to me.  
  
"'What Dreams Are Made Of' and 'I Can't Wait'. Cool. So, can I rehearse? I already rehearsed 'Why Not'... kind of." I said, remembering when I sang for Gordo on the roof.  
  
"Sure." He pressed the play button.  
  
I was familiar with the music, since I had been dancing to it, so adding the words wasn't that hard. I sang 'I Can't Wait' first, and then 'What Dreams Are Made Of', leaving Paolo stunned at the end of each one.  
  
"Wow, this is easy. I think the hardest thing about this job is handling the press."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"So, should we sing *and* dance now?"  
  
"Are you ready?  
  
I nodded.  
  
We started to dance and sing to the songs. It was a little more complicated, but we got it down.  
  
***  
  
After a couple more days, we had everything ready. Then all there was left to do was just wait and wait.  
  
A/N: I really don't like this chapter much. It's kinda boring. I should have erased it, but it just seemed sorta necessary. 


	35. Concert 1

A/N: I'm telling you, eleven is the hardest age I have ever gone through. So much pressure from the parents. I hate it. So I'm sorry for not updating much, and that's my excuse. And this is for you short chapter loving people.  
  
Gordo POV  
  
"Oh, my gosh!" Lizzie exclaimed. "I-I can't do this. What if I mess up? What if I forget something? What if I trip?"  
  
It was seven o'clock on Friday night, I was visiting in her Lizzie's room, and she was totally freaking out.  
  
"What should I wear? Oh, yeah, I know that. Wait. What if I spill something on it? What if we crash when we're driving there? What if..."  
  
"Lizzie, calm down. You're hysterical." I bit my lower lip.  
  
"I don't care. Do you think I care? Do I look like I care? Of course I care. This could change my life forever and... You know what? I'm not going." She folded her arms stubbornly and sat down on a couch in her room.  
  
"WHAT?" I was shocked. "You can't!"  
  
"Yes, I can. I can not do this, Gordo! It's too hard!"  
  
"Lizzie, you worked so hard. It's time for it to pay off."  
  
"Okay... I'll go.  
  
I came up to her and gave her a gigantic hug. She stopped talking.  
  
"Hey, what was that for?"  
  
"To shut you up."  
  
"I can't help it. I'm so nervous." She sat down.  
  
"You look beautiful, Lizzie. And you sing great, too. There's nothing to worry about." I said reassuringly.  
  
She took a deep breath. "You're right." She nodded. "I'm going to get through this night."  
  
***  
  
(A/N: I love to torture you guys, so all the stuff about her being nervous and her singing, I'm saving that for last. Yup, I skipped the concert! Just wait until the Grand Ilandra...)  
  
I walked off stage quietly, holding roses and other things the crowd had tossed to me at the end of our performance. Paolo waved to everyone and took his fifty-hundredth bow.  
  
"Lizzie, Lizzie!" He exclaimed. "We did it!"  
  
Then was when it hit me. "OH,MY GOSH! WE DID! I WENT IN STAGE AND I SANG IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE!"  
  
Animated Lizzie: Me? Lizzie McGuire? This is a dream, right?  
  
Sergei went up onto the stage as Paolo and I settled into our seats in the front. "Now, I'm very proud to say that Paolo and Isabella have made it into the Grand Ilandra concert!"  
  
I didn't listen to what he said next. I covered my mouth with my hand and started squealing. Gordo, who was sitting next to me, rolled his eyes. Paolo, who was sitting on the other side of me, was just as shocked as I was.  
  
"Lizzie, we did it!" He said for the second time that day.  
  
"I know! This is a dream come true!"  
  
The audience started clapping, and I started to cry tears of joy.  
  
"Hey, I thought you said only adults cry in times of happiness." Gordo pointed out. I smiled through my tears and hugged him tight. Then I hugged Paolo.  
  
It was probably the best day of my life. 


	36. Make a Wish

Chapter 36: Make a Wish  
  
A/N: Here's a chapter for all you guys who said you wanted longer chapters. Sorry I couldn't make it longer.  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
The next morning, I was in the best mood. I was nice to Kate, and to practically everyone else.  
  
"Here, Kate. Have my cupcake." I said sweetly.  
  
"Okay, what's going on here?"  
  
"I'M GOING TO THE GRAND ILANDRA!" I screamed.  
  
"Quiet down!" Somebody said harshly.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry."  
  
"Uh, Lizzie, what's Grand Ilandra?"  
  
"The event of the century!" I exclaimed, and skipped out of the breakfast room, without tripping.  
  
"Lizzie?" Gordo asked me in the hall as I was returning to my room.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you want to go to the Trevi Fountain again? I mean, I know you've been there before, but you want to go again?" He asked.  
  
I smiled. "Why not? I'll go get ready." I skipped off.  
  
"Uh... Lizzie? Be careful." He reminded me.  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I was outside Lizzie's hotel room door, waiting for her, and the weirdest thoughts were running through my head.  
  
Was this considered a date? A real date? With Lizzie? It seemed so odd, yet right. Words just couldn't explain it. But if it wasn't a date, then what was it? I mean, all directions pointed that way. I was waiting outside her door, after all.  
  
But if it was a date, why wasn't I nervous like I'd thought I'd be?  
  
And why wasn't I hysterically excited?  
  
I was totally calm. It was weird. I'd always thought that when I would go out with Lizzie, I'd be nervous and exited at the same time, but that didn't seem to be the case.  
  
My thoughts were interrupted by Lizzie, who opened the door and came out.  
  
"Ready?" I asked.  
  
"Mmm-hmm. Let's go."  
  
We walked off. The walk to the Trevi Fountain was only about ten minutes, but it took so much longer because Lizzie started pointing at every single thing. I thought getting into Grand Ilandra was the reason she was so perky, so happy. But I soon found out otherwise.  
  
"May I ask why you're so happy today?"  
  
"I-I don't know. I just feel so good when I'm hanging with my best friend." She said.  
  
This was just a little sentence she'd said, but it effected my greatly. I mean, Lizzie liked hanging with me! I put her in a good mood. Me! Boring old Gordo.  
  
We slowly approached the Trevi Fountain. Lizzie pulled out some pennies.  
  
"Hey. Gordo? I forgot what you wished for. Did it come true?" Lizzie asked, still digging though her purse.  
  
I sighed. "No. Not yet."  
  
"Oh, then I know exactly what I'm going to wish for this time."  
  
I smiled and pulled out a whole bunch of pennies from my pocket and threw them at Lizzie.  
  
"Hey, what was that for!?" She exclaimed.  
  
"For having your wish come true."  
  
"Are you saying that you're *jealous*?"  
  
"Something like that."  
  
We started throwing pennies at each other, and when we ran out, we picked them up. And then we divided them equally and tossed them all in the fountain.  
  
I wished for the same thing on each penny.  
  
Guess what I wished for?  
  
Oh, isn't it obvious?  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
I gathered all my pennies and made one wish.  
  
Animated Lizzie: I wish... I wish Gordo gets his wish!  
  
I threw them all in at once, making a fountain of pennies. They fell into the water and made a small splash. I smiled brightly.  
  
"Don't worry, Gordo. You're wish will come true." I said, hugging him tightly. 


	37. Dancing

A/N: Just in case you don't get this, Paolo dumped Lizzie, and now she's having fun with Gordo, and not realizing that he's perfect for her. I got a couple reviews saying that this was confusing, so I hope that sums it up.  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
"Think you got it down?" Paolo asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
It was a week before the Grand Ilandra, and it was about the ten hundredth time I had practiced the dances we were going to do. We had done a lot in the past two weeks. Our CD came out, I learned a couple words in Italian, I leaned how to act around the press, and all those other things.  
  
"Are you nervous, Paolo?" I asked, sitting down.  
  
"Am I? Of course I am. I mean, it's the event of the century. I think we both have a right to be nervous."  
  
"So it's okay if I'm nervous, too?"  
  
"Perfectly normal." Paolo paused, and started to play with his fingers. "Uh, Lizzie? Do you feel... wrong impersonating Isabella?"  
  
"Wrong, no. Maybe a little weird, though. I mean, people say 'Isabella, Isabella' and I keep forgetting that's me."  
  
"Oh, you'll get used to it."  
  
Animated Lizzie: Used to it? Does that mean that I'll be doing this for a long, long time? Forever?  
  
"Uh... I gotta go, Paolo. See you tomorrow for practice."  
  
I jetted off, not telling Paolo the real reason I left.  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
"So, do you think I'll be doing this forever?" Lizzie asked me.  
  
It was nighttime. I wasn't really paying attention to Lizzie. I was feeling stuffy and bored. Then I had an idea.  
  
"Lizzie? You wanna go up to the roof?" I asked out of nowhere.  
  
She looked sort of shocked. "But it's so dark."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Um-sure."  
  
We still hadn't returned our key, so we bolted up to the roof. When we got there, I felt so free. So independent. I felt like dancing.  
  
Why not?  
  
"I need a little practice." Lizzie was saying.  
  
"Then dance with me." I said.  
  
"But you don't know the dance."  
  
"Yeah, I do. I've seen you and Paolo rehearse it so much that I have the entire dance memorized." I said smartly.  
  
"Okay. I'll go and get my CD player, and the CD." She ran off to get them, and I stared up.  
  
There weren't any stars, like I was hoping they're would be so it'd be more romantic. In fact, the sky wasn't dark yet. It was still a faded nay blue, and you could hear the sounds of Rome from all four directions. The lights lit up the entire city. It was nothing like I'd thought it would be. It thought it would be quiet, dark, in the stars, just me and her alone, jumping up and down to music.  
  
But instead it was bright, sort of quiet... but still.. the romantic feeling was in the air.  
  
And this time, I was nervous.  
  
Very nervous.  
  
Lizzie soon returned with her CD and CD player. I glanced on the cover of the CD. There was a picture of Paolo and Isabella, the same one we'd seen plastered up on the billboard. They looked so happy together. What went wrong?  
  
"Okay, let's start with 'I Can't Wait'." She said.  
  
The music started, and we started dancing. It wasn't really dancing, if you ask me. It was more like exercising. I'm serious. All that romantic tension that was there before had disappeared. And my the end of four songs on the CD, I was tired.  
  
"Man, no one told me that dancing was so exhausting." I said, sitting down on a bench.  
  
"You're a good dancer, Gordo." Lizzie smiled. "But all great dancers get tired."  
  
After a few moments of silence, we went back downstairs.  
  
I was disappointed.  
  
A/N: I know some of you guys thought that they'd slow dance, but I'm not that predicable. I know you are mad, so sorry. But don't worry... this'll get good later on. 


	38. Glances

Lizzie POV  
  
I flopped down on my bed. It was so confusing. I couldn't stop thinking about him.  
  
Gordo.  
  
I mean, why the heck was I thinking about him? He was my best friend. But the ways I was thinking about him were not how best friends acted.  
  
Did best friends think about each other's smile?  
  
I mean, I had just noticed it. Just in that one split second, right before I told him he was a good dancer. He had the greatest smile. And the greatest eyes...  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh, no, don't you dare. You do not have a crush on-Gordo. Whoa, that sounds weird.  
  
I tried to shove him out of my head, but he just came popping back. And finally, I fell asleep, still thinking about him.  
  
***  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I banged my head on the wall. What was I thinking? I should have made my move, right there, on the roof, when we were both on the bench. If I had just had the guts... there was no telling what could have happened.  
  
I frowned. I had to watch Lizzie and Paolo dance the next day. I had promised Lizzie. I was not looking forward to that. The only time we'd have alone was... on the car ride there. Lizzie's black convertible was picking us up.  
  
I rolled my eyes and went to bed.  
  
***  
  
No POV  
  
Lizzie and Gordo awakened around the same time. They got dress and met each other downstairs.  
  
"You said eight o'clock, right?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah. The car should be here any second now..."  
  
The car pulled up. Gordo raised his eyebrows. It was cool. He'd always wanted a car like this. It was raining, so the driver had to put the top up. As the car started up, Gordo glanced at Lizzie to see what she was doing.  
  
Lizzie was playing with the zipper on her coat, but then she got the urge to look at Gordo and see that smile again. She knew it was crazy, but it was the truth.  
  
Gordo looked away as soon as he saw her tilt her head towards him. He looked out at the window. And when we thought she wasn't looking, he stared at her again.  
  
Lizzie glanced away as she saw Gordo stir.  
  
They kept on doing this for about ten minutes, and the driver, who was looking at them in the rearview mirror, had to fight the urge to stat chuckling. It was obvious they liked each other, and didn't want to admit it.  
  
They finally approached the dance studio, and the driver let them out, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe their eyes didn't meet like it always did in the movies.  
  
But he knew they would someday.  
  
A/N: *sighs*Another short chapter. How do you like it so far? It's really close to the end. I'm sorry, but I'll probably have to rush things from now on. Things will happen faster now, so the story doesn't get dragging or boring. If I work hard, It might be done by... the 13th. So, wish me luck! 


	39. First Try

Chapter 39: First Try  
  
Gordo POV  
  
~a day before Grand Ilandra~  
  
"Okay... but I still don't get it. Why do you want to meet me at the train station?" Lizzie asked.  
  
"I-you'll understand when you get there." I answered.  
  
I had made up my mind. I was sick of waiting. I hated the fact that I couldn't get anywhere near her. So, I set up a meeting. I told her it was important, and to meet me at the train station about half and hour before the concert started. Guess what I was going to do there?  
  
Yup, I was going to give her the kiss of her life.  
  
It was hard to do, I'm telling you. But I knew holding back was killing me, so I had to make the first move.  
  
Why at the train station, you ask? Well, my mom and dad met and had their first kiss at a train station, and so did my grandparents, so I figured that I should keep the tradition. Even if it was in public.  
  
"Uh, okay... I'll see you tomorrow at the train station, 6:15." She smiled and returned to her room.  
  
I walked down the hallway and into my room. I knew it. This was it.  
  
My big chance.  
  
***  
  
I sat on a bench, in the deserted-looking train station, tapping my foot and waiting quietly for Lizzie to show up. She was five minutes late. I was worried. Why wasn't she here?  
  
Just then, a train arrived and hundreds of people spilled out of the train.  
  
"Great. Just great." I mumbled. "Now I'll never be able to find her."  
  
Just then, I saw her. She looked as pretty as ever... but she had dyed her hair black, like Paolo had told her to. She had gotten extensions. Her hair was waved, and she was wearing a tight lime-green jacket. She had a pair of sunglasses on her head, even though the day was cloudy.  
  
I ran up to her and said, "Hey."  
  
"Um... hi." She said, standing on her tiptoes, as if she were looking for somebody.  
  
Normally, I would have said, "Who are looking for?", but I wrapped my arms around and kissed her on the lips. She didn't return the kiss at first, but I didn't let go.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
I skidded onto the platform, searching for Gordo. Oh, boy, was I late. I looked around and saw a woman carrying an umbrella, a man dressed in expensive clothes, someone who could easily be mistaken as a supermodel, a very chubby little boy, a blind man with a dog, and a guy and a girl making out.  
  
I did a double-take.  
  
The guy making out was none other than...  
  
Gordo.  
  
GORDO!!!!!!!!  
  
I couldn't tell who the girl was, but she was kissing him passionately.  
  
Animated Lizzie: No. It can't be... or can it?  
  
My hand flew to my mouth. My eyes started to water. What was happening? Why was I crying?  
  
Maybe it was because I was hurt. Because some random girl was making out with *my* Gordo!  
  
Animated Lizzie: Wait a second... Did I just call him *my* Gordo?  
  
Then it hit me. That's why I couldn't stop thinking about him.  
  
I had a crush on Gordo.  
  
A massive crush.  
  
My tears started to spill, and I ran off the platform. I ran out of the station, and to the long black stretch limo that was waiting for me.  
  
A/N: What's going on!? Read on to find out... 


	40. Isabella?

Chapter 40: Isabella?  
  
A/N: Yes, I'm eleven! My birthday was in February! So please stop asking me! It seems as if half of my reviews say this! I'm just an obsessed Lizzie McGuire fan who happens to like writing. This story's like two of my favorite things combined into one.  
  
Gordo POV  
  
I pulled away from Lizzie to take a deep breath.  
  
"Wow. That... was amazing." She said in an accent.  
  
Wait a second... Lizzie didn't have an accent.  
  
"By the way, who are you?" She asked.  
  
"Lizzie!" I exclaimed. "I'm Gordo! You know, your best friend?"  
  
She looked puzzled. "Who? Who's Lizzie?"  
  
Oh no! Lizzie had amnesia!  
  
"I'm Isabella. I came here to see Paolo's performance at the Grand Ilandra concert tonight."  
  
The words hit me like a ton of bricks.  
  
ISABELLA?  
  
The girl I had kissed was Isabella?  
  
Paolo's lost signing partner?  
  
My jaw dropped and I shook my head. "Oh, my gosh. We have to get you to the concert right away. Don't ask questions. I'll explain later. Right now, let's just *go*!" I exclaimed, running out of the station, Isabella at my heels.  
  
"Could you please explain who you are and why I'm running off with a stranger?" She asked as she ran down Lese Avenue.  
  
"I'll explain later. But I have to ask you one thing-do you still love Paolo?"  
  
"Well, of course I do."  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
Paolo was also in the limo. I climbed in and wiped away my tears.  
  
"So, what did he have to tell you?" Paolo asked.  
  
"Uh... nothing important." I said, curling up in a corner of the limo.  
  
On any other day, I would be thrilled to be riding in a limo. But today, nothing mattered. I smiled a fake smile to assure Paolo that I was okay.  
  
It was dark by the time we reached Ilandra Studio. I got out and was surprised. There were so many cameras and stuff. I kept the smile on my face, waved, and started to walk down the red carpet.  
  
And then I tripped.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Oh, perfect timing, McGuire.  
  
The crowd gasped.  
  
I got up and kept walking. The cameras flashed wildly. I sighed and finally got inside.  
  
This was going to be a *long* night.  
  
***  
  
~backstage on the Grand Ilandra concert~  
  
I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears. No one could know I had been crying. I had to look positive and excited about my performance.  
  
But, man, was that hard.  
  
I couldn't forget it. The memory of Gordo and another girl kissing just shattered my heart to pieces. I had no idea I liked him so much, until that one moment. I swallowed hard and plastered a smile on my face.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie? Are you ready?" Paolo asked, getting his makeup re-done for, like, the fiftieth time.  
  
"Pretty much." I nodded.  
  
"Great. We're on in fifteen minutes." He walked away.  
  
Animated Lizzie: FIFTEEN? That's it? Uh-oh.  
  
Oh, that was just great. As if I didn't have enough on my mind, we were on in fifteen minutes! It was time for my nervousness to kick in. My knees started shaking, my teeth started chattering.  
  
How on Earth was I going to do this? 


	41. Getting In

Chapter 41: Getting In  
  
Matt POV  
  
We had taken a flight to Rome that morning. Now we were at the airport.  
  
"Hello. My name is Jo McGuire. Do you know where the..." She glanced at me.  
  
I studied the printed magazine article. "Grand Ilandra." I whispered.  
  
"...Grand Ilandra concert is?" She finished.  
  
The man looked at her like she was crazy. "I no speak English." He said, and wheeled his suitcases away.  
  
Mom was hysterical. She was asking every person in sight where the concert was. I had done more research on the internet, and it seemed as if Lizzie was impersonating some popstar named Isabella. She and Isabella's singing partner, Paolo, had made it to an event called the Grand Ilandra, which supposedly was a huge deal.  
  
So we had jetted off to Italy, leaving everything behind. They had dragged me along since I couldn't stay home alone. We didn't even know what hotel we were going to stay in. Mom and Dad only had one thing on their mind.  
  
They had to find Lizzie.  
  
I went up to a woman. "Do you know where the Grand Ilandra concert is?" I asked politely.  
  
"Ilandra Studio, on the intersection of Roma Street and Lese Avenue." She said, looking hurriedly through a booklet. "In fact... I have two tickets. I can't use them. Uh... you want them? I'm selling them for only $20 each."  
  
I took them and paid her $40.  
  
"Thanks!" I exclaimed, not noticing that there was three of us and only two tickets. We hailed a taxi (A/N: Are there taxis in Rome?) and drove to the intersection of Roma Street and Lese Avenue. Sure enough, there was a huge building there, flashing with lights and cameras.  
  
I handed Dad a ticket and took one for myself. We gave them to the ticket taker and went in, leaving Mom outside.  
  
"Wait!" Mom exclaimed.  
  
***  
  
Jo POV  
  
I couldn't believe it. They had just left without me!  
  
Oh, well. I could probably get in free since I *was* the mother of Lizzie... or Isabella, as everyone called her.  
  
Little did I know...  
  
***  
  
"LET ME IN! MY DAUGHTER'S IN THERE, IMPERSONATING A POPSTAR! HAVE TO GET IN!" I said, struggling in the arms of the security guards.  
  
One of them grabbed this walkie-talkie. "We have one hysterical woman here, outside the Grand Ilandra." He said.  
  
"I am not hysterical!" I exclaimed. "I'm telling you, that's my daughter!" I pointed to Lizzie, who was peeking out from the edge of the curtain. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she ducked back in.  
  
They rolled their eyes and put their hands on their hips.  
  
"I swear! She was right there!" I said. Then I got a brilliant idea. "Look! There she is now!" I pointed behind them.  
  
The second they turned their heads, I dashed into the audience. 


	42. Freaky

Chapter 42: Freaky  
  
Gordo POV  
  
Isabella and I carefully snuck backstage, where we saw Lizzie, pacing back and forth. The moment she saw us, she screamed.  
  
"You-you're me!" She exclaimed.  
  
We walked closer.  
  
"Oh, my gosh! You're that girl..." She trailed off.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
I didn't know how to finish that sentence. 'you're that girl who was making out with Gordo' sounded kind of wrong.  
  
Then it suddenly hit me.  
  
Animated Lizzie: It-it couldn't be!  
  
"YOU'RE ISABELLA!!!"  
  
Isabella cocked her head. "And you are Lizzie, I'm guessing. David has told me all about you."  
  
Animated Lizzie: He *has*?  
  
There was a long pause between us three as I started at Isabella, and she stared back.  
  
"Freaky, huh?" Gordo asked.  
  
I was stunned. "Way freaky." I admitted.  
  
"Way, way freaky." Isabella added in her Italian accent.  
  
It was so weird. First, I see Gordo kissing some random girl at the train station. Why was he kissing her when he was supposed to be meeting with me? Then I see my mom screaming with the security guards. I mean, how did she find out about me? How did she get here? And *then*, Isabella shows up from nowhere. Then I find out that *she* was the one Gordo was kissing. I mean, what was up with that? Did Gordo know her from before?  
  
There was only one word to describe that day.  
  
Freaky.  
  
After some planning, we decided that I could do the first song, What Dreams Are Made Of, and Isabella could sing the rest. Then we only had one more thing to do...  
  
"Oh, Pao-lo!" I called in a singsong voice.  
  
He came running to me. "What-"He started. His jaw dropped about ten feet.  
  
"Isabella?" He asked.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You-you're here! Where were you? You almost got us sued until Lizzie here showed up and took your place." Paolo still looked amazed.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Paolo." She said.  
  
"It's okay." Paolo's eyes filled up with tears.  
  
"It's so beautiful." Gordo joked, whispering into my ear.  
  
I giggled. "I know, isn't it?"  
  
Paolo took Isabella's hand as she explained our agreement. "But I have to hide out until Lizzie does her first song. Then we'll switch." She said.  
  
Paolo nodded. "I missed you, Isabella." He said, looking deeply into her eyes.  
  
"I missed you, too."  
  
"Uh, we'll be going now."  
  
I looked puzzled. "We will?"  
  
Gordo looked at me with a knowing look.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Uh, no duh.  
  
"Oh, yeah, we will." Gordo and I walked to another part of the backstage, leaving Paolo and Isabella to make up in private.  
  
I decided this was my chance to ask him about kissing Isabella. "Uh... Gordo?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well... I-uh, um..."  
  
A/N: I love cliffies! 


	43. Seize the Moment

Chapter 43: Seize the Moment  
  
Gordo POV  
  
"What I mean to say is that..." Lizzie took a deep breath. "Why were you kissing Isabella today at the train station?"  
  
My eyes widened. Lizzie had seen that? She was there? Oh, man. How could I explain this?  
  
I sighed heavily.  
  
This was it.  
  
The moment I had been dreading since forever.  
  
The moment when I had to tell Lizzie I liked her.  
  
"That kiss... it wasn't meant for her." I admitted.  
  
Not meant for her? NOT MEANT FOR HER? Could I possibly think of a lamer excuse?  
  
"Then who was it meant for?"  
  
"You." I said, as quietly as I could.  
  
Lizzie's jaw dropped. Man, were people doing that a lot today. "No way."  
  
"I'm sorry. I saw Isabella and I thought you were her and I had to seize the opportunity... and then I found out that it wasn't even you..."  
  
"No, I mean, 'no way' as in... why did you want to kiss *me*?"  
  
"Because I..." I was stuck. What do I say to that? "I always wanted to."  
  
Lizzie blinked, as if she were still trying to take in the information.  
  
And slowly, we both started to lean in.  
  
I couldn't believe what was happening. Me, Lizzie... it was just so hard to think about. But I gladly kissed her, and she kissed back. I could feel the fireworks.  
  
It was amazing.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie POV  
  
I could not believe it. I was kissing Gordo. Gordo, the guy I had known forever. The guy who knew every single thing that had ever happened to me. The guy who knew my secrets, my fears, and my dreams. My best friend. I was kissing my best friend.  
  
Or maybe he was more.  
  
It was confusing. Did I like Gordo for a long time? Or did I just begin to like him a couple days ago. And what about my crush on Ethan?  
  
Well, none of it mattered. All that mattered was that I was where I belonged, kissing Gordo. I couldn't believe it had taken me 14 years to figure that out.  
  
I mean, Gordo had never cared what I looked like. He had always said that I was beautiful no matter what. I had never taken it seriously... but I should have, because then maybe this would've happened sooner.  
  
"Lizzie!" I heard Paolo's voice interrupt the moment.  
  
I pulled away from Gordo.  
  
"We're on in one minute!" He exclaimed.  
  
I pranced away, feeling like a new person. "Thanks." I mouthed to Gordo.  
  
He smiled warmly.  
  
I was about an inch away from the curtain when I realized what had just happened.  
  
"Oh, my GOSH!"  
  
"Save that for later." Paolo whispered. "This is the one and only song you'll be doing. Make it a great one." He smiled.  
  
"I don't think I can do it."  
  
Then I glanced at Gordo, who was still smiling, and winked.  
  
Suddenly I regained all my confidence.  
  
Animated Lizzie: Okay, now I think I can.  
  
We both stepped onto the stage, I was in the spotlight, and I was instantly hit by a bad case of stage fright.  
  
I stared out into the audience. I saw Mom, Dad, Matt, Ethan, Kate, Danny, Brooke, Veruca, Mrs. Gable, Sergei... and everyone else I knew. Even the tour guide was there. Looking at them, and seeing their eager expressions, I felt confident.  
  
Recharged.  
  
I took a deep breath and started to sing. 


	44. Happily Ever After

Chapter 44: Happily Ever After  
  
Gordo POV  
  
Three weeks later, we went back. And man, I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I was glad to finally be heading home.  
  
But that morning, Lizzie had waved goodbye to every single thing in the city of Rome.  
  
"Ciao, Paolo." She called for the eight hundredth time as we drove off.  
  
"Ciao, Lizzie."  
  
"Ciao, hotel. Ciao, Lenora Café." She waved through the window.  
  
Matt, who was sitting in the seat in front of us, frowned. "You guys, this wasn't really how I wanted to spend most of my summer. In Rome, chasing after my big sister and some Italian popstar." He took out his camera and started taping Lizzie and me.  
  
"Gordo, this is your fault." She whined.  
  
"What's my fault?"  
  
"You inspired Matt to bring his stupid camera everywhere and tape everything!"  
  
"Uh, sorry." I said.  
  
Matt closed his camera. "I got amazing footage here."  
  
Lizzie rolled her eyes.  
  
***  
  
"Gordo! What if it crashes?" Lizzie asked, fastening her seatbelt inside the plane.  
  
"Haven't we been over this? Nothing will happen, trust me." I sighed.  
  
"Okay."  
  
The plane started to lift off. My ears popped. The gum wasn't helping. So instead, I kissed Lizzie. She happily kissed back and we didn't let go until the plane was up in the air.  
  
"Whoa." She said.  
  
"Yeah, I think that covers it."  
  
"Hey, at least we didn't have to use gum!" She exclaimed. "So, did you like it?"  
  
I just zipped my mouth shut and started to read.  
  
And in a few minutes, Lizzie was fast asleep on my shoulder. I smiled, and snuggled my head with hers, just like before.  
  
Only this time, it meant something.  
  
A/N: HOW DID YOU LIKE IT? Tell me!!!! Sorry the last chapter was so short. I couldn't think of any ways to stretch it, except add boring airport stuff. This was longer than I had thought when I had started writing this. I really don't think the actual movie's going to be like this, but I hope it's close! And, always look on the next chapter for author's notes and upcoming stuff. Ciao! 


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